Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

Formal Charges:

IN RE PATRICK A. GIRAUD (Chalmette), 2018-B-1646 (6/26/19): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but six months deferred, for mishandling his client trust account, resulting in conversion of client funds, and using funds from his trust account to support his addiction to OxyContin.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE DONALD C. DOUGLAS, JR. (Mandeville), 2019-B-0984 (6/26/19): The Court publicly reprimanded the respondent for violating Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(d).

IN RE ERNEST L. JOHNSON (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0682 (6/26/19): The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for a period of six months, fully deferred, for violating Rules of Professional Conduct 3.3(a)(1), 3.3(a)(2), 8.4(a), and 8.4(d).

Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:

IN RE JACK F. OWENS, JR. (Harrisonburg), 2019-OB-0985 (6/26/19).

Probation Revoked:

IN RE MARK G. SIMMONS (Baton Rouge), 2019-B-0908 (6/26/2019): The Court revoked the probation of the respondent, making the previously-deferred portion of his one-year and one-day suspension executory.

Rehearing:

IN RE MAURICE R. FRANKS (Baker), 2018-B-1483 (6/26/2019): Rehearing denied.

2019-2020 Annual Requirements

LSBA membership dues and registration statements, along with LADB assessments and trust account registration forms, were due on July 1, 2019.

Please note that every attorney licenced to practice law in Louisiana is required to disclose the existence of a trust or escrow account or declare that because of the nature of his or her practice that he or she is not required to maintain such an account.

For those who have not yet completed the requirements:

• File your Trust Account Registration Form at LADB's website ladb.org/trustaccount».
• Manage your Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) account and pay your LSBA Membership Dues and LADB Assessment at LSBA's website lsba.org».