Resignation Accepted After Domestic Abuse Conviction

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has accepted the resignation of a convicted attorney

Respondent states that although he is aware that the resignation is subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, he will treat it as effective on the date of filing his resignation. Respondent is aware of an investigation by the Bar Association regarding the following criminal conviction which is sufficient as a basis for discipline:

a. State of Oklahoma v. Joseph Dewayne Kalka, Lincoln County, Case No. CF-2022-265: On October 26, 2022 Kalka was charged with (Count 1) Domestic Abuse by Attempted Strangulation by strangling or attempting to strangle Laura Kalka, his wife, and (Count 2) Domestic Abuse — a misdemeanor by striking Laura Kalka, his wife, about the head, face and body with his hands and fists. On October 13, 2023 Kalka pled guilty to these charges, he received a term of imprisonment with execution of sentence suspended as follows: a term of three (3) years for Count 1 and one (1) year for Count 2; each count to run concurrently one with the other. Kalka was ordered to pay a $100 fine for Count 1 and $100 fine for Count 2.

Probable Cause Affidavit filed in State of Okla. v. Joseph Wayne Kalka, Case No. CF-2022-265, Lincoln Co. provides that his wife was visibly distraught with raspy voice- with marks on her neck and redness on her left side of head and bite marks on her left shoulder. Wife had come home from church at 8 p.m. on October 19, 2022 to find Respondent intoxicated. Respondent began yelling at wife and their children and he followed her into the bedroom. When she sat on the bed, Respondent “choked her by putting his thumbs to her neck and pushing into her throat… Joseph threatened to ‘blow his brains out the back of his head.'” Respondent grabbed his pistol and continued threatening to shoot himself- he then “hit Laura in the left side of the head with the same hand his pistol was in.” Wife then ran out of the house with the kids to the truck. Respondent followed her and attempted to stop her by biting her arm. When she got to the truck, Respondent “used his arm and wrapped it around her neck and began to try to pull her out of the car by her neck which was choking her.

(Mike Frisch)