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Friday, July 07, 2006

Ind. Courts - More disciplinary matters [Updated]

The Anderson Herald-Bulletin reports, in a long story by Lee Noble headlined "Lawyer avoids Disciplinary Commission hearing by resigning," that:

After six years of racking up violations of attorney codes of conduct, a local criminal lawyer tendered his resignation to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Shawn D. Ramsey’s resignation was a response to an extensive list of complaints filed against Ramsey March 27.

The following were filed against Ramsey with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission:

- 15 complaints against Ramsey affecting 19 individuals who he was hired to represent.

- almost $19,000 worth of legal fees paid by those clients, who complain that Ramsey failed them by not appearing in court, refusing refunds or failing to communicate updates of their trials, among other violations.

- 50 violations of Rules of Conduct for Attorneys at Law contained in the above complaints.

- one charge of driving with a suspended license.

- one attempt to carry a handgun into the Madison County Government Center.

Ramsey could not be reached for comment; his law office phone has been disconnected and his home phone number is unlisted.

Here is the Supreme Court's "Order Accepting Resignation."

The Bloomington Herald-Telegram reports today, in a long story that begins:

Longtime Bloomington attorney David Colman is the focus of a disciplinary complaint filed Thursday in the Indiana Supreme Court.

The complaint alleges Colman violated the rules of professional conduct for attorneys 13 times in three separate cases involving three different clients. It also alleges a violation of Indiana Admission and Discipline Rule 23.

Colman’s attorney, Paul Watts, said his client denies the allegations.

“There is a whole lot more included than appears on the face of these complaints,” Watts said. “David certainly denies any wrongdoing.”

Colman couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday, but Watts said he advised Colman not to speak publicly about the case.

The complaint was filed Thursday in the state Supreme Court by the court’s disciplinary commission.

[Updated 7/8/06] The Bloomington Herald-Telegram has more today on the Colman matter - unfortunately, one has to pay to read even the H-T's current stories. The story, by Bethany Nolan, is headlined "Disciplinary complaint a serious matter, says head of lawyers' group: Local attorney faces allegations he violated rules of professional conduct in three cases" It begins:
About 1,600 complaints about Hoosier attorneys are sent each year to the Indiana Supreme Court's disciplinary commission.

Of those, about 100 eventually become formal disciplinary complaints like the one filed Thursday against prominent Bloomington attorney David Colman, said Seth Pruden, a staff attorney with the commission.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on July 7, 2006 11:27 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts