North Dakota Orders Reciprocal Discipline

The North Dakota Supreme Court has imposed reciprocal discipline for a sanction imposed in Minnesota

The record reflects that the State of Minnesota filed an order suspending Bruggeman for indefinitely with no right to petition for reinstatement for 90 days for representing clients with a conflict of interest, providing incompetent representation and failing to properly serve defendants with the complaint, neglecting the matter, failing to communicate with clients, forging a client’s electronic signature on an affidavit and filing it with the court, making knowingly false statements to the clients, failing to timely withdraw from representation, failing to provide clients with a copy of the file upon termination of the representation, failing to inform the clients of costs they would be responsible for, and fabricating documents and making knowingly false statements to the Director during a disciplinary investigation.

In this matter

Assistant Disciplinary Counsel filed an affidavit outlining unsuccessful efforts to serve Bruggeman in this disciplinary matter. Therefore, service in this matter was made on the Clerk of the Supreme Court under Admission to Practice R. 1. Bruggeman failed to respond. On April 4, 2024, the Disciplinary Board filed its recommendation that Bruggeman be disbarred.

But

The Court considered the matter, and

ORDERED that Julie L. Bruggeman is SUSPENDED from the practice of law in North Dakota for six months and one day, effective upon entry of judgment in this matter.

DL-Online noted that the attorney had held public office

Mahnomen County Attorney Julie L. Bruggeman was indefinitely suspended from practicing law by the Minnesota Supreme Court on June 23.

She can apply for reinstatement after 90 days, according to the order signed by Associate Justice Natalie E. Hudson.

In Mahnomen County, Bruggeman oversees a staff of four or five attorneys, legal secretaries and victims advocates, Mahnomen County Administrator C.J. Holl said in a brief interview.

As county attorney, Bruggeman handles a wide variety of cases, including felony and other criminal prosecutions, child support enforcement, juvenile and family matters, and she provides legal counsel for county administration.

(Mike Frisch)