Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Paul G. Belke

Summary

The Wisconsin Supreme Court reviewed disciplinary proceedings against Attorney Paul G. Belke based on 13 counts of misconduct arising from multiple misdemeanor convictions and failures to report those convictions. The court imposed a four-month suspension of his Wisconsin law license, required continued participation in a Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program monitoring contract, and assessed the proceeding costs against him.

Holdings

1. The court adopted the referee's findings of fact because no finding was clearly erroneous and agreed with the referee's conclusions that Belke violated the applicable supreme court rules.
2. A four-month suspension of Belke's Wisconsin law license was appropriate for the number and nature of his offenses.
3. Belke was required to continue participating in a WisLAP monitoring contract, comply with its assessment and treatment conditions, pay $3,316.55 in proceeding costs, and comply with SCR 22.26.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the referee's findings of fact and conclusions that Belke violated the cited supreme court rules should be adopted.
2. What sanction is appropriate for Belke's 13 counts of professional misconduct.
3. Whether Belke should continue participating in a Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program monitoring contract and pay the proceeding's costs.

Disposition

other