Public Reprimand for Lying to Court
By Attorney Gregg Herman
September 16, 2015
September 16, 2015
If a lay person heard that a lawyer lied to the court, their reaction would be “That lawyer will be/should be disbarred!”
Not in Wisconsin.
Today, in In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against Charles A. Boyle, the Supreme Court overrode the recommendation of the referee of a 90 day suspension (OLR recommended a 60 days suspension) in favor of a public reprimand.
Amazingly, the two most liberal members of the court, Justices Ann Walsh Bradley and Shirley S. Abrahamson, dissented. Justice Bradley wrote: I consider making false statements to a circuit court a grievous matter.”
It’s too bad that five other justices, a majority of the court, don’t feel that way.
Attorney Gregg Herman is a founding partner of Loeb & Herman, LLC in Milwaukee, WI. He practices family law exclusively, and can be reached via e-mail or by calling (414) 272-5632.
