The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has disbarred an attorney after 42 years of practice, primarily for misconduct in filling out judicial nomination forms.

The Disciplinary Board

Respondent’s conduct consisted of dishonesty in 2009 while serving as an appointed judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court and while he was also a judicial candidate for the same position. His dishonesty also occurred in 2011 when he was a judicial candidate of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Respondent failed to disclose multiple material facts on questionnaires he completed in 2009 and 2011 that were submitted to the Philadelphia Bar Association Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention. The material facts Respondent failed to disclose in the 200 questionnaire while serving as an appointed Municipal Judge seeking reelection included a failure to disclose twenty-four (24) cases. When Respondent became  a candidate for a seat on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, he failed to disclose additional material facts on his update to the 2009 questionnaire, as listed above in Fact #69 These non-disclosures were not trivial in nature. Additionally, Respondent’s neglect of his client Marta Maciuk’s divorce matter must not be overlooked. Respondent basically ignored Ms. Maciuk once he was elected as judge in November of 2011. The reimbursement of Ms. Maciuk‘s monies was achieved only after Petitioner became involved in the matter.

Notwithstanding the mitigation

Respondent’s transgressions offend both the public and the bar and bring disrepute to the profession. Under the circumstances, we unanimously recommend that Respondent be disbarred from the practice of law.

(Mike Frisch)