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From the July 2018 online California Bar Journal

Andrew Benjamin Aames [#117380], 62, of Kansas City, Missouri, was disbarred effective May 18, 2018, ordered to notify clients of the discipline and perform other obligations under rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Aames was convicted of a misdemeanor in Missouri for failing to register as a sex offender or report his new IP address. Aames was previously convicted of one count of molesting a child under the age of 18, and one count of false imprisonment in connection with  felony charges, which were later dropped in a plea deal, for allegedly raping and assaulting  his wife. Aames stipulated to the matters and was placed on 15 months suspension in 2011. The State Bar Court found that based upon the requirement of progressive discipline and aggravating factors such as lack of remorse, that disbarment was the appropriate level of discipline.

David Thaddeus Achord [#200703], 49, of San Diego, was placed on probation for one year, and suspended for 90 days effective April 26, 2018. He was also ordered to notify clients of the discipline and perform other obligations under rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court, and he must attend ethics school and take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. Achord stipulated that he pleaded guilty to one count of inflicting corporal injury resulting in traumatic injury to a spouse (a felony), and one count of unlawfully impeding a peace officer or emergency medical technician in the performance of his duties (a misdemeanor), for which he was placed on probation. Achord had no prior record of discipline.

San Diego Reader had details

On December 5, 2016, the San Diego County District Attorney filed a criminal complaint against personal injury attorney David Thaddeus Achord for, among several things, threatening his wife with a knife and resisting an officer of the law. On March 21 of last year, he pleaded guilty to inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, and obstructing a public peace officer. The State Bar of California suspended him from practice of law from July to December last year.

On May 3 of this year, the bar, after studying the matter, said Achord would be suspended for 90 days and placed on probation for a year. According to the bar, on September 6, 2016, Achord jabbed a knife at his wife and told her, “I’m going to slit your throat!” She said the knife came within six inches of her face. Sheriff’s deputies arrived and Achord threatened violence to a sheriff’s deputy who had arrived.

Achord “had a serious alcohol and valium dependency,” said the bar, but “participated in various community activities.” Achord lacked remorse, said the bar.

(Mike Frisch)