Disbarred Without Hesitation

The Indiana Supreme Court disbarred an attorney

Respondent, Robert Stochel, committed attorney misconduct by stealing trust account funds belonging to a former law partner and that partner’s clients, embezzling funds from a receivership and actively concealing that theft for nearly a decade, and refusing to cooperate with the Commission’s investigations into his actions.

He stole from a receivership as well as his former partner.

The court

We conclude that each of these [sanction] standards applies to the matter before us. Respondent stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the receivership and tens of thousands of dollars from his former law partner and that partner’s clients. In the receivership case, Respondent covered up his theft for nearly a decade, lied to all comers, deceived the court and later defied its orders, and actively obstructed the disciplinary process. Respondent throughout has expressed absolutely no remorse or intent to make restitution. In addition, he has neither challenged the hearing officer’s report nor argued any mitigating facts. Under these circumstances, the Court unhesitatingly concludes that disbarment is warranted.

The Indiana Lawyer had reported on his emergency suspension by the court. (Mike Frisch)