By Swindle

The Minnesota Supreme Court has suspended an attorney for at least 30 days with reinstatement on probation for five years.

The attorney was admitted in 1997.

In 2009, she was charged with three counts of felony theft by swindle. The allegations “involved approximately $31,000 in unauthorized charges on the credit card account of her deceased father.”

After a hung jury, the attorney pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of theft by swindle. A stayed jail sentence of 90 days was imposed.

The referee favored a non- suspensory sanction; the Director had sought an 18-month suspension.

The court held that the attorney’s alcoholism (which did not cause the misconduct) and personal stress were properly treated as mitigating factors. (Mike Frisch)