Recovery Progress Results In Probation

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered a stayed year and a day suspension with probation as a result of an attorney’s four arrests for driving while intoxicated.

The attorney was admitted in 1986 and has no prior discipline.

The Disciplinary Board’s appended report tells the story.

The first incident involved a single car accident on October 8, 2013. Toxicology reports found that the attorney had a BAC of .376. She was charged with DUI Highest Rate of Alcohol.

Thereafter she was arrested three times in 2014:  January 6 (.45), May 26  (.269) and September 26 (.30).

Each was treated as a first offense because there were no previous convictions at the time (but see below). 

The attorney served a 90 day sentence and has been compliant with treatment foe addiction. She is active in both AA and the Bar’s program.

Her firm has commendably re-employed her and is committed to aiding her in ongoing recovery efforts.

She did not report the convictions as required and had also failed to report two earlier DUI convictions that took place in 2000 and 2001, 

The board noted that she is the sole support of her three college-age children and that the practice of law is the source of funding their education.

The court order requires supervised probation for a period of two years. (Mike Frisch)