Idaho Attorney Suspended For Sex, Texts

From the Idaho State Bar web page

On  February 25, 2015, the Idaho Supreme Court entered a Disciplinary Order suspending  Nampa attorney R. Aaron Morriss from the practice of law for a period of five  years, with all but two years of such suspension withheld, effective January  30, 2015. 

The  Idaho Supreme Court found that Mr. Morriss violated I.R.P.C. 1.7(a)(2)  [Conflict of interest based on personal interests of the lawyer]; 1.8(j)  [Sexual relations with a client]; and 8.4(d) [Conduct prejudicial to the administration  of justice].  The Idaho Supreme Court’s  Disciplinary Order followed a stipulated resolution of an Idaho State Bar  disciplinary proceeding in which Mr. Morriss admitted that he violated those  Rules.

The  formal charge case related to Mr. Morriss’s relationships with two female  clients.  With respect to the first  client, Mr. Morris texted the client explicit pictures of himself and engaged  in sexual relations with the client during his representation of her in a  custody case.  With respect to the second  client, Mr. Morriss texted the client explicit pictures of himself, took  explicit pictures of the client, and engaged in sexual relations with the  client during his representation of her in a parental termination case.

The Disciplinary Order provided  that upon reinstatement, if any, after the two-year period of imposed  suspension, Mr. Morriss will serve a two-year period of probation with terms  and conditions that include counseling and the immediate imposition of the  withheld period of suspension if he violates the terms of his probation or admits  or is found to have violated any Idaho Rules of Professional Conduct for which  a public sanction is imposed for conduct that occurred during the probationary period.

(Mike Frisch)