Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Kristy Joi Downing

Citation: 

Docket Number: 2013AP002235-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2015-09-30T00:00:00Z

Document:
2015 WI 93 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2013AP2235-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against  
Kristy Joi Downing, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant-Respondent, 
     v. 
Kristy Joi Downing, 
          Respondent-Petitioner. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST DOWNING 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
September 30, 2015 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:          
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015 WI 93
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2013AP2235-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Kristy Joi Downing, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant-Respondent, 
 
     v. 
 
Kristy Joi Downing, 
 
          Respondent-Petitioner. 
 
FILED 
 
SEP 30, 2015 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY reinstatement proceeding.  Reinstatement granted.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review a report filed by Referee 
James C. Boll, recommending that the court reinstate Kristy Joi 
Downing's license to practice law in Wisconsin to regular 
inactive status following a transfer to inactive status due to a 
medical incapacity.  Upon careful review of the matter, we agree 
with the referee that Attorney Downing's license should be so 
reinstated.  We also conclude that Attorney Downing should be 
required to pay the full costs of this proceeding, which are 
$1,429.78 as of July 20, 2015. 
No. 
2013AP2235-D   
 
2 
 
¶2 
Attorney Downing was admitted to practice law in 
Michigan in 2004.  She was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin 
in 2006.  
¶3 
On May 16, 2013, the State of Michigan Attorney 
Discipline Board ordered that Attorney Downing's Michigan law 
license be transferred to inactive status for an indefinite 
period of time due to a finding of incompetency entered by a 
Michigan judge.  Attorney Downing failed to notify the Office of 
Lawyer Regulation (OLR) of the Michigan order within 20 days of 
the effective date. 
¶4 
On October 8, 2013, the OLR filed a complaint and 
motion seeking reciprocal discipline identical to that imposed 
by Michigan.  On January 13, 2014, the OLR's motion to transfer 
Attorney Downing's Wisconsin law license to inactive status due 
to a medical incapacity under the reciprocal disciplinary 
provisions of Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.22 was granted.  
Attorney Downing's Wisconsin law license was transferred to 
inactive status due to a medical incapacity under the reciprocal 
disciplinary provision of Wisconsin Supreme Court rules in part 
based upon a March 28, 2013 medical report of Dr. Candyce 
Shields.  Dr. Shields evaluated Attorney Downing on February 28, 
2013, pursuant to a court order to evaluate her competency to 
stand trial.  Dr. Shields' report concluded that Attorney 
Downing's current medical condition met the statutory criteria 
for a finding of incompetence as it related to her ability to 
proceed in the adjudicative process.   
No. 
2013AP2235-D   
 
3 
 
¶5 
Attorney 
Downing 
began 
receiving 
treatment 
from 
Dr. Mauricio Cortina.  Dr. Cortina issued a series of reports 
saying that Attorney Downing's mental status was stable and 
improving.  On January 21, 2015, Dr. Cortina stated that he did 
not believe continued therapy or counseling was necessary for 
Attorney Downing to practice law. 
¶6 
Attorney Downing filed a petition for reinstatement to 
regular inactive status with the Wisconsin State Bar on June 27, 
2014.  The OLR asked that Attorney Downing's medical condition 
be independently evaluated.  Attorney Downing was examined at 
the OLR's request by Dr. Norman Dwaihy.  In a report dated 
December 29, 2014, Dr. Dwaihy stated, "it is my opinion that 
Ms. Downing is fully capacitated to practice law and recommend 
that she be fully reinstated to practice law in whatever 
jurisdiction she so chooses, in particular, the State of 
Wisconsin." 
¶7 
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board reinstated 
Attorney Downing to active status on January 17, 2014. 
¶8 
On February 26, 2015, the OLR filed a response to 
Attorney Downing's reinstatement petition, saying that the OLR's 
investigation revealed no information to refute the fact that 
Attorney Downing's medical incapacity had been removed and that 
she was fit to resume the practice of law.   
¶9 
The referee issued his report on July 3, 2015.  The 
referee concluded that Attorney Downing has satisfied her burden 
and 
the 
requirements 
for 
reinstatement, 
and 
the 
referee 
No. 
2013AP2235-D   
 
4 
 
recommends that Attorney Downing's Wisconsin law license be 
reinstated to inactive status without any conditions.   
¶10 No appeal has been filed, so this court considers this 
matter pursuant to SCR 22.33(3).  A referee's findings of fact 
will not be overturned unless they are clearly erroneous.  In re 
Disciplinary Proceedings Against Eisenberg, 2004 WI 14, ¶5, 
269 Wis. 2d 43, 675 N.W.2d 747.  We independently review the 
referee's legal conclusion, noting that whether the petitioner 
has demonstrated fitness to resume the practice of law presents 
a legal question which we review de novo.  In re Disciplinary 
Proceedings Against Chavez, 2012 WI 83, ¶14, 342 Wis. 2d 419, 
816 N.W.2d 265.   
¶11 Following a suspension for medical incapacity, an 
attorney seeking the reinstatement of his or her license to 
practice law must show both that the medical incapacity has been 
removed and that the petitioner is fit to resume the practice of 
law.  See In re Medical Incapacity Proceedings Against Schlieve, 
2010 WI 22, 323 Wis. 2d 654, 780 N.W.2d 516.  We conclude that 
the referee's findings support a determination that Attorney 
Downing has met her burden under SCR 22.36(6) to establish by 
clear, convincing, and satisfactory evidence that her medical 
incapacity is removed and that she is fit to resume the practice 
of law.  We further agree with the referee that it is 
appropriate to require Attorney Downing to pay the full costs of 
this proceeding, $1,429.78. 
No. 
2013AP2235-D   
 
5 
 
¶12 IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reinstatement of 
the license of Kristy Joi Downing to regular inactive status in 
Wisconsin is granted, effective the date of this order. 
¶13 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date 
of this order, Kristy Joi Downing shall pay to the Office of 
Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding. 
 
 
 
No. 
2013AP2235-D   
 
 
 
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