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Case No.: |
04-1421-D |
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Complete Title: |
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In the
Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against
Joseph F. Paulus, Attorney at Law: Office
of Lawyer Regulation, Complainant, v. Joseph
F. Paulus, Respondent. |
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DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PAULUS |
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Opinion Filed: |
June 8, 2004 |
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2004 WI 71
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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:
Attorney Joseph
F. Paulus has filed a petition for consensual license revocation under SCR
22.19. Attorney Paulus is currently the
subject of an Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) misconduct investigation. Attorney Paulus submits that under SCR
22.19(2) he cannot successfully defend himself against the misconduct
allegations, which include his guilty plea to a federal count of accepting
bribes totaling approximately $48,050 while holding the office of Winnebago
County District Attorney, in exchange for benefits to defendants, including the
dismissal or reduction of charges, return of seized property, and a request
that another District Attorney give lenient treatment to a defendant and an
additional federal count of filing a 1999 Form 1040 income tax return on which
Paulus knowingly underreported his income for that year. Paulus’s conduct in accepting bribes in
public office, making misrepresentations to the court, and filing a knowingly
false income tax return would be in violation of SCR 20:1.7(b), conflict of
interest; SCR 20:3.3, making a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal;
SCR 20:8.4(b), committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on the
lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer; and SCR 20:8.4(c),
engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. On April 26, 2004, pursuant to a plea
agreement, Paulus entered guilty pleas to both federal counts. As a part of the plea agreement, he agreed
to voluntarily surrender his license to practice law in all jurisdictions by
the date of sentencing. He is currently
awaiting sentencing.
The OLR supports
Attorney Paulus’s petition for consensual license revocation.
IT IS ORDERED
that the petition for consensual license revocation is granted.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED that the license of Joseph F. Paulus to practice law in Wisconsin is
revoked effective the date of this order.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED that Joseph F. Paulus shall comply with the requirements of SCR 22.26
relating to activities following revocation.
Cornelia G.
Clark
Clerk of Supreme
Court