Mother -In-Law

A 30-day suspension had been ordered by a tri-county hearing panel of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board

After proceedings in accordance with MCR 9.115 and based on the evidence presented by the parties at the hearings held in this matter, the hearing panel found that respondent committed professional misconduct when he opened a Dell line of credit using the name and Social Security number of his then mother-in-law, without her knowledge or consent. Respondent’s mother-in-law reported the matter to the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office which investigated the matter, however, she declined to proceed with criminal charges against respondent.

The panel found that respondent engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or violation of the criminal law, where such conduct reflected adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer, in violation of MRPC 8.4(b); engaged in conduct that exposed the legal profeSSion or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure, or reproach, in violation of MCR 9.104(2); and engaged in conduct that was contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals, in violation of MCR 9.104(3).

(Mike Frisch)