Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court
Consent Discipline:
IN RE FORREST E. GUEDRY (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0558 (5/28/19): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, for violating Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(a) and 8.4(b).
IN RE DANIEL JAMES STANFORD (Lafayette), 2019-B-0626 (5/28/2019): The Court disbarred the respondent, retroactive to the date of his interim suspension (9/17/14), based upon his conviction for conspiracy to introduce and cause to be introduced misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, money-laundering conspiracy, and money laundering.
IN RE KEVIN LOVELL JAMES (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0653 (6/3/2019):The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but thirty days deferred, for mismanaging her client trust account and failing to cooperate with ODC’s investigation.
IN RE CHANNING J. WARNER (Gretna), 2019-B-0663 (6/3/2019): The Court suspended the respondent for three years for neglecting his clients’ legal matters, failing to communicate with his clients, failing to refund unearned fees, failing to place advanced deposits for costs and expenses into his client trust account, and failing to return his clients’ files upon the termination of the representation. The respondent also practiced law while he was ineligible to do so, failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation, and was charged with issuing worthless checks.
IN RE JOHN C. ALEXANDER (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0664 (6/3/2019): The Court publicly reprimanded the respondent for engaging in conduct that was prejudicial to the administration of justice.
IN RE VICTOR ROY LORASO III (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0688 (6/17/19): The Court permanently disbarred the respondent based upon his conviction for possession and distribution of child pornography.
IN RE MATTHEW VANCE SHELTON (Pineville), 2019-B-0791 (6/17/19): The Court suspended the respondent for three years, with all but six months deferred, based upon his no contest plea to felony possession of a Schedule II CDS and first offense DWI.
IN RE LUCRETIA PATRICE PECANTTE (New Iberia), 2019-B-0892 (6/17/19): The Court suspended the respondent for two years, retroactive to the date of her interim suspension (9/22/17), for pleading guilty to failure to file a tax return and, in connection with her guilty plea, admitting that she engaged in acts which constitute the felony crimes of tax evasion and filing false tax returns.
IN RE LYNDEN JAMES BURTON (New Iberia), 2019-B-0893 (6/17/19): The Court suspended the respondent for two years, retroactive to the date of his interim suspension (9/22/17), for pleading guilty to failure to file a tax return and, in connection with his guilty plea, admitting that he engaged in acts which constitute the felony crimes of tax evasion and filing false tax returns.
IN RE ASHTON DEVAN PARDUE (Springfield), 2019-B-0901 (6/17/19): The Court suspended the respondent for one year for neglecting a legal matter, failing to communicate with a client, and engaging in a personal relationship with a current client.
Reciprocal Discipline:
IN RE MAURICE R. FRANKS (Baker), 2018-B-1483 (5/28/2019): The Court disbarred the respondent based upon an order of the Supreme Court of Colorado.
Probation Revoked:
IN RE GREGORY COOK (Baton Rouge), 2019-OB-0406 (6/3/2019): The Court previously suspended the respondent for six months, with all but thirty days deferred, subject to one year of unsupervised probation. Before the probationary period began, ODC learned that the respondent engaged in the unauthorized practice of law during the active period of his suspension. Based upon this information, the Court made executory the entire six-month suspension that was previously imposed.
IN RE TODD A. HARRIS (Mansura), 2019-B-0827 (6/17/2019): The Court revoked the probation of the respondent, making executory a previously-deferred six month and one day suspension.
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