Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

Formal Charges:

IN RE KEN DOHRE (Covington), 2018-B-0941, (10/29/18). The Court dismissed the formal charges brought against the respondent.

IN RE GEORGE MARTIN GATES IV (Greenbelt, MD), 2018-B-0977, (10/29/18). The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for six months, fully deferred, and placed the respondent on unsupervised probation for a period of one year, subject to conditions, for neglecting a legal matter, failing to return an unearned fee, failing to return a client file upon request, practicing law while ineligible to do so, engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigations.

IN RE TRACEY MICHEL FAVORITE (New Orleans), 2018-B-1078, (11/05/18). The Court disbarred the respondent for engaging in a pattern of issuing worthless checks over a three-year period and presenting a check drawn on a closed account in the name of her mother to pay for office furniture.

IN RE LINDA LOUISE STADLER (Mandeville), 2018-B-1212, (11/05/18). The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for six months, fully deferred, subject to two years of probation, for misconduct which resulted in the respondent twice pleading guilty to DWI in violation of Rules 8.4(a) and 8.4(b) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

IN RE TYRONE F. WATKINS (New Orleans), 2018-B-1332, (11/14/18). The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for three months, fully deferred, subject to a one-year period of probation with conditions, for neglecting a legal matter, failing to communicate with a client and failing to return an unearned fee.

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

IN RE RAYMOND CHARLES BURKART III (Covington), 2018-B-1077, (11/05/18). The Court disbarred the respondent for neglecting client matters, failing to communicate with his clients, failing to return unearned fees, failing to return client file materials, mishandling his client trust account and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigations.

IN RE TIMMY JAMES FONTENOT (Mamou), 2018-B-1213, (11/05/18). The Court permanently disbarred the respondent for forging his client’s signature on a settlement check, converting $75,000 in client funds, misleading his client and co-counsel about the conversion, fabricating documents to conceal the conversion, failing to account for or make restitution of the converted funds and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigation, including lying to ODC in his written response to the disciplinary complaint.

IN RE BRADLEY O. HICKS (Leesville), 2018-B-1211, (11/05/18). The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for two years for neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund unearned fees and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigations.

IN RE JUAN C. LABADIE (Gretna), 2018-B-1033, (10/29/18). The Court disbarred the respondent for neglecting his clients’ legal matters, failing to return unearned fees, making false statements regarding the integrity of a judge and committing multiple acts of domestic violence.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE LARRY CURTIS (Lafayette), 2018-B-1553, (11/14/18). The respondent and the ODC submitted a joint petition for consent discipline in which the respondent acknowledged that he filed into the court record an affidavit which he knew was improperly notarized.  The Court accepted the petition and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for a period of six months, fully deferred.

IN RE FRANK STANTON HARDEE III (Kaplan), 2018-B-1555, (11/14/18). ODC commenced an investigation into allegations that the respondent pleaded no contest to multiple misdemeanors arising from alcohol-related offensive conduct, in violation of Rules 8.4(a) and 8.4(b) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.  Following the filing of formal charges, the respondent and ODC submitted a joint petition for consent discipline.  The Court accepted the petition and ordered that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law for a period of one year and one day, with all but six months of the suspension deferred.  Following the active portion of the suspension, the respondent is subject to a period of probation to coincide with the remaining term of his monitoring agreement with JLAP.

Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:

IN RE JOSHUA WILLIAM CHRISTIE (New Orleans), 2018-OB-1537, (10/29/18).

IN RE SCOTT ROBERT HYMEL (Madisonville), 2018-OB-1680, (11/20/18).