What’s The Hurry?

In an unusual summary order, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals imposed a six-month suspension of an attorney for negligent misappropriation.

The per curiam order in full

The Board on Professional Responsibility concluded that respondent negligently misappropriated funds and recommends that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law in the District of Columbia for six months. Neither respondent nor Bar Counsel has excepted to that conclusion and recommendation. We therefore accept the Board’s recommendation. D.C. Bar R. 11, § 9 (h)(2). Accordingly, it is ORDERED that respondent Sherri Wyatt is suspended from the practice of law for a period of six months. For purposes of reinstatement, respondent’s suspension will be deemed to run from the date respondent files an affidavit in compliance with D.C. Bar R. XI, § 14 (g).

Two points.

First, the court has rarely resolved bar discipline uncontested cases without any written opinion. It sometimes will issue a short opinion appending the BPR report in uncontested matters.

I am in favor of anything that moves cases to a swifter conclusion.

That plays into the second point. The Bar Docket Number of the case is 292-05.

That means it took the disciplinary system a full decade to resolve a case involving a single negligent misappropriation. 

Indeed, this case might lend itself to a study of how and why interminable delay is a feature of D.C. bar discipline rather than a bug.

That is opinion worthy. (Mike Frisch)