Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Bruce J. Meagher

Citation: 2004 WI 75

Docket Number: 

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2004-06-09T00:00:00Z

Document:
2004 WI 75 
 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
03-1185-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Bruce J. Meagher, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Bruce J. Meagher,  
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
REINSTATEMENT OF MEAGHER 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
June 9, 2004   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2004 WI 75 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTICE 
This order is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The 
final version will appear in the 
bound volume of the official 
reports.   
 
 
No.  03-1185-D  
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Bruce J. Meagher, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Bruce J. Meagher,  
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JUN 9, 2004 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
Madison, WI 
 
 
 
 
 
The Court entered the following order on this date:  
 
Attorney Bruce Meagher has filed a petition seeking 
reinstatement of his license to practice law in Wisconsin. We 
determine, based on the referee's report, the recommendation of 
the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR), and the recommendation of 
the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), that Attorney Meagher’s 
license to practice law in this state shall be reinstated 
effective immediately. 
 
Attorney Meagher was admitted to practice in Wisconsin in 
1980. On November 12, 2002, Attorney Meagher's license to 
practice law in Wisconsin was temporarily suspended, pursuant to 
SCR 22.20(1),1 in connection with his conviction for violation of 
a federal wire  
                                                 
1 SCR 22.20(1) provides:  “Upon receiving satisfactory proof that 
an attorney has been found guilty or convicted of a serious 
crime, the supreme court may summarily suspend the attorney's 
license 
to 
practice 
law 
pending 
final 
disposition 
of 
a 
disciplinary proceeding, whether the finding of guilt or the 
 
2 
 
wagering law.  Attorney Meagher had no other disciplinary 
history.  On October 8, 2003, this court approved the parties’ 
stipulation to a six-month suspension of Attorney Meagher's 
license to practice law in Wisconsin.  Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Meagher, 2003 WI 132, 266 Wis. 2d 18, 669 N.W.2d 733.  
The suspension was imposed retroactive to the date of his 
temporary suspension, November 12, 2002.  Id. 
 
On October 17, 2003, Attorney Meagher filed this petition 
for reinstatement pursuant to SCR 22.28(3).2  The petition was 
assigned to Referee John E. Shannon, Jr., consistent with the 
reinstatement procedure set forth in SCR 22.30.3 Following a 
                                                                                                                                                             
conviction resulted from a plea of guilty or no contest or from 
a verdict after trial and regardless of the pendency of an 
appeal.” 
2 SCR 22.28(3) provides: “The license of an attorney that is 
revoked or suspended for misconduct for six months or more shall 
be reinstated pursuant to the procedure set forth in SCR 22.29 
to 22.33 and only by order of the supreme court.” 
3  SCR 22.30 is entitled “reinstatement procedure” and provides: 
 
(1) The clerk of the supreme court shall select a 
referee from the panel provided in SCR 21.08, based on 
availability and geographic proximity to the petitioner's 
place of residence, and the chief justice shall appoint the 
referee 
to 
conduct 
a 
hearing 
on 
the 
petition 
for 
reinstatement. In the case of a license suspension, the 
hearing shall not be held prior to the expiration of the 
period of suspension. 
 
  (2) The director shall investigate the eligibility 
of the petitioner for reinstatement and file a response 
with the referee in support of or in opposition to the 
petition. 
 
 (3) At least 30 days prior to the hearing, the  
director shall publish a notice in a newspaper of  general 
circulation in any county in which the  petitioner 
maintained an office for the practice of law prior to 
suspension 
or 
revocation 
and 
in 
the 
county 
of 
the 
petitioner's residence during the suspension or revocation 
and in an official  publication of the state bar of 
Wisconsin. 
 
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hearing on April 19, 2004, the  referee issued a report and 
recommendation on May 10, 2004, concluding that Attorney Meagher 
has 
satisfied 
his 
burden 
of 
proof 
on 
the 
question 
of 
reinstatement, has satisfactorily addressed all the requirements 
of SCR 22.29(4),4 has demonstrated compliance with SCR 22.26, 
                                                                                                                                                             
   
(4) The notice under sub. (3) shall contain a 
brief statement of the nature and date of suspension 
or revocation, the matters required to be proved for 
reinstatement, and the date, time and location of the 
hearing on the petition. 
4 
SCR 
22.29(4) 
provides 
that 
the 
petition 
for 
reinstatement shall show all of the following: 
   
(a) 
The 
petitioner 
desires 
to 
have 
the 
petitioner's license reinstated. 
  
(b) The petitioner has not practiced law during 
the period of suspension or revocation. 
  
(c) The petitioner has complied fully with the 
terms of the order of suspension or revocation and 
will 
continue 
to 
comply 
with 
them 
until 
the 
petitioner's license is reinstated. 
  
(d) The petitioner has maintained competence and 
learning in the law by attendance at identified 
educational activities. 
 (e) 
The 
petitioner's 
conduct 
since 
the 
suspension or revocation has been exemplary and above 
reproach. 
 (f) The petitioner has a proper understanding of 
and attitude toward the standards that are imposed 
upon members of the bar and will act in conformity 
with the standards. 
 (g) The petitioner can safely be recommended to 
the legal profession, the courts and the public as a 
person fit to be consulted by others and to represent 
them and otherwise act in matters of trust and 
confidence and in general to aid in the administration 
of justice as a member of the bar and as an officer of 
the courts. 
 
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governing activities following suspension, and "can now be 
safely recommended to the legal profession, the  courts, and the 
public as a person fit to be consulted by others as well as 
represent them and otherwise act in matters of trust and 
confidence and in general to aid in the administration of 
justice as a member of the Bar and as an officer of the courts."  
The referee thus recommended the petition for reinstatement be 
granted.  No appeal was filed. 
 
By memorandum dated April 14, 2004, the BBE recommended 
that the reinstatement petition be granted, subject to the 
requirement that Attorney Meagher comply with the current 
continuing legal education (CLE) requirements by reporting an 
additional 30.0 approved hours, including 3.0 hours of legal 
ethics and professional responsibility; or by electing the 
exemption available at SCR 31.04(2) on the CLE Form 1 that will 
be due for the 2003-2004 reporting period. 
 
The court agrees with the referee's conclusion that 
reinstatement is appropriate here. Therefore, 
 
IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reinstatement is 
granted and the license of Attorney Bruce J. Meagher to practice 
law in Wisconsin is reinstated effective the date of this order, 
subject to his compliance with current CLE requirements; 
 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, subject to his right to appeal 
the statement of costs, Attorney Meagher shall pay the costs of 
the reinstatement procedure within 60 days of the date of this 
order.   
 
 
                                                                                                                                                             
   
(h) The petitioner has fully complied with the   
requirements set forth in SCR 22.26. 
   
(j) The petitioner's proposed use of the license 
if reinstated.  
  (k) A full description of all of the petitioner's 
business activities during the period of suspension or 
revocation. 
  (m) The petitioner has made restitution to or 
settled all claims of persons injured or harmed by 
petitioner's misconduct or, if not, the petitioner's 
explanation of the failure or inability to do so. 
 
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