Case Title: Disciplinary Counsel v. Butler

Citation: 2011-Ohio-236

Docket Number: 20101794

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2011-01-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Until this opinion appears in the Ohio Official Reports advance sheets, it may be cited as 
Disciplinary Counsel v. Butler, Slip Opinion No. 2011-Ohio-236.] 
 
 
NOTICE 
This slip opinion is subject to formal revision before it is published in 
an advance sheet of the Ohio Official Reports.  Readers are requested 
to promptly notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Court of Ohio, 
65 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, of any typographical or 
other formal errors in the opinion, in order that corrections may be 
made before the opinion is published. 
 
SLIP OPINION NO. 2011-OHIO-236 
DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL v. BUTLER. 
[Until this opinion appears in the Ohio Official Reports advance sheets, it 
may be cited as Disciplinary Counsel v. Butler, Slip Opinion No. 2011-Ohio-
236.] 
Attorneys — Misconduct — Indefinite license suspension after felony conviction, 
with no credit for time served under the interim felony suspension. 
(No. 2010-1794 — Submitted January 4, 2011 — Decided January 27, 2011.) 
ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and 
Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 09-004. 
__________________ 
Per Curiam. 
{¶ 1} Respondent, Brian Jeffrey Butler of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Attorney 
Registration No. 0074086, was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 2001.  
On December 4, 2008, following his conviction and sentencing on ten felony 
counts involving pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, we 
imposed an interim felony suspension on respondent’s license pursuant to 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
 
Gov.Bar R. V(5)(A)(4).  In re Butler, 120 Ohio St.3d 1427, 2008-Ohio-6274, 897 
N.E.2d 658. 
{¶ 2} Based on the conduct underlying respondent’s felony convictions 
for offenses that occurred in 2004 and 2005, relator, Disciplinary Counsel, has 
filed a complaint charging respondent with violations of DR 1-102(A)(3) 
(prohibiting a lawyer from engaging in illegal conduct involving moral turpitude) 
and 1-102(A)(6) (prohibiting a lawyer from engaging in conduct that adversely 
reflects upon his fitness to practice law). 
{¶ 3} The board has accepted the parties’ stipulation that respondent’s 
criminal conduct violates DR 1-102(A)(3) and 1-102(A)(6).  The board also 
agrees that respondent’s absence of a prior disciplinary record, full and free 
disclosure to the board, and cooperative attitude toward the proceedings should be 
considered in mitigation.  See Section 10(B)(2)(a) and (d) of the Rules and 
Regulations Governing Procedure on Complaints and Hearings Before the Board 
of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline (“BCGD Proc.Reg.”)  It further 
concludes that none of the factors in aggravation set forth in BCGD Proc.Reg. 
10(B)(1)(a) through (i) are present.  Based upon these findings, the board 
recommends that respondent be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in 
Ohio with no credit for time served under his interim suspension. 
{¶ 4} We accept the board’s findings of fact and misconduct and agree 
that the parties’ stipulated sanction of an indefinite suspension with no credit for 
time served under his interim suspension is an appropriate sanction for 
respondent’s misconduct.  See Disciplinary Counsel v. Ridenbaugh, 122 Ohio 
St.3d 583, 2009-Ohio-4091, 913 N.E.2d 443, ¶ 2, 40-41 (imposing an indefinite 
suspension with credit for time served under an interim-suspension order for 
misconduct involving acts of voyeurism and use of child pornography). 
January Term, 2011 
3 
 
{¶ 5} Accordingly, we indefinitely suspend Brian Jeffrey Butler from the 
practice of law in Ohio, with no credit for time served under his interim 
suspension order.  Costs are taxed to respondent. 
Judgment accordingly. 
 
PFEIFER, LUNDBERG STRATTON, O’DONNELL, LANZINGER, and CUPP, JJ., 
concur. 
 
O’CONNOR, C.J., and MCGEE BROWN, J., dissent and would permanently 
disbar the respondent. 
__________________ 
Jonathan E. Coughlan, Disciplinary Counsel, and Stacy Solochek 
Beckman, Assistant Disciplinary Counsel, for relator. 
Brian Jeffrey Butler, pro se. 
__________________