Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Colleen R. T.

Citation: 2014 WI 29

Docket Number: 2013AP000490-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2014-06-03T00:00:00Z

Document:
2014 WI 29 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2013AP490-D   
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings  
Against  Colleen R. T., Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Colleen R. T., 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MEDICAL INCAPACITY PROCEEDINGS 
 AGAINST COLLEEN R.T. 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
June 3, 2014 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
         
 
COUNTY: 
       
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
 
2014 WI 29
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2013AP490-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings  
Against Colleen R.T., Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Colleen R.T., 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JUN 3, 2014 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.  Attorney's 
license 
indefinitely suspended. 
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review, pursuant to Supreme Court 
Rule (SCR) 22.341(2),1 a report filed by referee Dennis J. Flynn, 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.341(2) provides: 
 
If no appeal is timely filed, the supreme court 
shall review the report of the referee and order the 
suspension of the respondent's license to practice 
law, the imposition of conditions on the respondent's 
practice of law, or other appropriate action.  The 
court may order the parties to file briefs in the 
matter. 
No. 
2013AP490-D   
 
2 
 
recommending the court grant Attorney Colleen R. Tyree's request 
for indefinite suspension of her license to practice law 
pursuant to SCR 22.34(11)(a)2 based on her medical incapacity. 
¶2 
Attorney Tyree was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 2004.  Her Wisconsin license status is currently in 
good standing.  She is also admitted to practice law in Illinois 
and, as of the date of the evidentiary hearing, was authorized 
to practice law in that state.  She resides in Illinois. 
¶3 
On March 1, 2013, the Office of Lawyer Regulation 
(OLR) filed a petition pursuant to SCR 22.34(8) alleging that it 
had received information indicating Attorney Tyree was suffering 
from 
a 
psychological 
disorder 
rendering 
her 
medically 
incapacitated.  The OLR sought indefinite suspension of her 
license to practice law. 
¶4 
The OLR's petition discloses that Attorney Tyree's 
September 2012 responses to the OLR's initial inquiries were 
troubling and substantiated the OLR's concern regarding her 
mental well-being.  On November 29, 2012, the Cook County 
circuit court appointed a Temporary Guardian of the Person and 
Estate of [Attorney Tyree]. 
                                                 
2 SCR 22.34(11)(a) provides, in pertinent part: 
 
An 
attorney 
who 
is 
the 
subject 
of 
an 
investigation 
or 
petition 
for 
possible 
medical 
incapacity may request the indefinite suspension of 
the attorney's license to practice law.  The request 
shall state that it is filed because the petitioner 
cannot successfully defend against the allegations of 
medical incapacity. 
No. 
2013AP490-D   
 
3 
 
¶5 
In January 2013, the Illinois court extended the 
temporary 
guardian's 
appointment 
and 
Attorney 
Tyree 
was 
involuntarily hospitalized in Cook County.   
¶6 
Initially, Attorney Tyree disputed the OLR's assertion 
that 
she 
suffered 
from 
a 
medical 
incapacity 
warranting 
indefinite suspension of her license to practice law.  This 
court appointed referee Dennis J. Flynn on June 18, 2013, and, 
following a series of pre-hearing matters, the referee conducted 
a final hearing at which Attorney Tyree appeared by counsel. 
¶7 
During the course of the hearing, the parties reached 
an agreement whereby Attorney Tyree asked that her license to 
practice law in Wisconsin be indefinitely suspended, consistent 
with SCR 22.34(11).  The OLR supports this request. 
¶8 
The referee took care to ensure that a record was 
created 
that 
demonstrates 
that 
Attorney 
Tyree 
met 
the 
requirements of SCR 22.34(11)(a).  The referee was mindful that 
he needed to evaluate her statements in the context of whether 
she was, in fact, freely and voluntarily requesting the 
suspension of her law license because she believed she could not 
successfully defend against the allegations the OLR made 
regarding her medical incapacity. 
¶9 
Ultimately, the referee concluded that the "record 
reflects that Respondent did freely, knowingly and voluntarily 
request the indefinite suspension of her attorney's license to 
practice law in Wisconsin at the Final Hearing on 18 November 
2013."  The referee noted that in "unequivocal language" 
Attorney Tyree acknowledged she could not successfully defend 
No. 
2013AP490-D   
 
4 
 
against the allegations made by the OLR of her medical 
incapacity.  Attorney Tyree had the benefit of counsel in making 
her decision.  The referee carefully reviewed her responses and 
noted that she confirmed that she was aware the suspension could 
"be forever."  Attorney Tyree also understood that in order to 
seek reinstatement, she will have the burden of showing that her 
medical incapacity has been removed and that she is fit to 
resume the practice of law with or without conditions.  See 
SCR 22.36. 
¶10 Accordingly, the referee recommends we grant the 
request of Attorney Tyree to indefinitely suspend her license to 
practice law in Wisconsin under SCR 22.34(11), that all the 
pleadings and documents filed in this case remain confidential 
to the extent possible, and that we impose the full costs of 
this proceeding on Attorney Tyree. 
¶11 Based on the agreement of the parties and the findings 
and recommendation of the referee, which this court approves and 
adopts, we conclude that Attorney Tyree currently suffers from a 
medical 
incapacity 
that 
substantially 
prevents 
her 
from 
performing the duties of an attorney to acceptable professional 
standards. 
¶12 IT IS ORDERED that the request is granted and the 
license of Colleen R. Tyree to practice law in Wisconsin is 
suspended indefinitely, effective the date of this order and 
until reinstated by this court. 
No. 
2013AP490-D   
 
5 
 
¶13 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all pleadings and documents 
filed by the parties in this matter are confidential until 
further order of the court. 
¶14 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent she has not 
already done so, Colleen R. Tyree shall comply with the 
requirements of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person 
whose license to practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended. 
¶15 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Colleen R. Tyree is 
directed to pay the full costs of this proceeding, which total 
$14,105.14 as of January 2, 2014. 
 
 
 
 
 
No. 
2013AP490-D   
 
 
 
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