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Case No.: |
02-3244-D |
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Complete Title: |
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In the
Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against
Bruce A. Bode, Attorney at Law: Office
of Lawyer Regulation, Complainant, v. Bruce
A. Bode, Respondent. |
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DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST BODE |
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Opinion Filed: |
February 21, 2003 |
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Source of Appeal: |
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Dissented: |
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Not Participating: |
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Attorneys: |
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2003 WI 6
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Supreme
Court of Wisconsin |
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Notice This order is subject to further editing and modification. The final version will appear in the bound volume of the official reports. |
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The Court entered the following order on this date:
On December 5,
2002, the Office of Lawyer Regulation filed a disciplinary complaint against
Attorney Bruce A. Bode asking this court to impose reciprocal discipline
identical to that imposed on Attorney Bode by the Illinois Supreme Court. That court suspended Attorney Bode’s
Illinois law license for one year, effective September 20, 2001. On December 10, 2002, this court issued an
order to show cause directing Attorney Bode to show cause in writing by
December 30, 2002 why the imposition of the identical discipline imposed by the
Illinois Supreme Court would be unwarranted.
Attorney Bode failed to respond to the order to show cause.
Attorney Bode was
admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 1990 and he became licensed to
practice law in Illinois that same year.
In 1992 Attorney Bode’s Wisconsin license was suspended for his failure
to pay dues to the Wisconsin State Bar.
In 1993 his license was suspended for noncompliance with continuing
legal education (CLE) requirements. His
Wisconsin license remains suspended.
The one year
suspension in Illinois resulted from misconduct involving ten separate clients
and involved a pattern of failing to communicate with clients concerning the
status of their cases, failing to timely complete legal matters, and failing to
respond to inquiries from the Illinois Administrator of the Attorney
Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
SCR 22.22(3)
provides that this court shall impose the identical discipline or license
suspension unless the procedure in the other jurisdiction was so lacking in
notice or opportunity to be heard as to constitute a due process violation;
there was such an infirmity of proof establishing the misconduct that this
court should not accept as final the misconduct finding; or the misconduct
justifies substantially different discipline here. Neither OLR nor Attorney Bode contend, nor does this court find,
that any of these three exceptions exist.
Accordingly,
IT IS ORDERED
that the license of Bruce A. Bode to practice law in the state of Wisconsin be
suspended for one year, effective the date of this order;
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED that this suspension does not affect the existing suspensions for
failure to pay dues to the Wisconsin State Bar or failure to comply with CLE
requirements which would also have to be satisfied in order for Attorney Bode’s
license to practice law in Wisconsin to be reinstated;
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED that Attorney Bode shall comply, if he has not already done so, with
the requirements of SCR 22.26 pertaining to activities following suspension.