Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

Consent Discipline:

IN RE LIONEL LON BURNS (New Orleans), 2017-B-2153, (5/1/18)
The Court suspended the respondent for one year for facilitating the unauthorized practice of law by allowing his paralegal to participate in a pre-trial conference.

IN RE JOHN MORRIS DUNN III (Covington), 2018-B-0340, (5/11/18)
The Court disbarred the respondent for converting third-party funds.

IN RE RAUSHANAH SHAKIA HUNTER (Baton Rouge), 2018-B-0341, (5/18/18)
The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but four months deferred, for neglecting two legal matters, failing to communicate with two clients, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in two investigations.

Deemed Admitted Matters (Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX, Section 11(E)(3)):

IN RE DEBRA L. CASIBRY (Metairie), 2018-B-2045, (5/1/18)
The Court disbarred the respondent based upon her arrest for DWI and failure to appear at trial, pleading no contest to driving under the influence in Mississippi and failing to pay the associated fines and costs, forging her criminal attorney’s signature on a motion and filing it with the court, pleading guilty to a loud noise charge after being arrested for failing to leave a hotel upon multiple requests to do so by the hotel’s staff, pleading guilty to simple assault after attempting to bite a corrections officer, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in its investigations.

IN RE JOSE W. VEGA (Houston, TX), 2018-B-0262, (5/11/18)
The Court permanently disbarred the respondent for neglecting a client’s matter and failing to cooperate with the ODC’s investigation. The respondent was previously disbarred.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE STUART H. SMITH (New Orleans), 2018-B-0506, (5/11/18)
The Court suspended the respondent for three months, fully deferred, based upon his conviction for cyberstalking.