Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Diane R. Caspari

Citation: 

Docket Number: 2019AP001175-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2020-05-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
2020 WI 49 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2019AP1175-D 
 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of the Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Diane R. Caspari, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
v. 
 
Diane R. Caspari, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST CASPARI 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
MAY 28, 2020   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
Per Curiam 
NOT PARTICIPATING: 
        
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2020 WI 49
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2019AP1175-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of the Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Diane R. Caspari, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
v. 
 
Diane R. Caspari, 
 
          Respondent. 
FILED 
 
MAY 28, 2020 
 
Sheila T. Reiff 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review a stipulation pursuant to 
Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.12 between the Office of Lawyer 
Regulation (OLR) and Attorney Diane R. Caspari.  The stipulation 
states that Attorney Caspari committed three counts of misconduct 
arising out of her failure to make payments to Clinical Psychology 
Associates, which conducted evaluations into criminal cases which 
had been assigned to Attorney Caspari by the Office of the State 
Public Defender (SPD).  The stipulation requests that this court 
impose a 90-day suspension of Attorney Caspari's license to 
No. 
2019AP1175-D   
 
2 
 
practice law in Wisconsin and that she be ordered to pay 
restitution. 
¶2 
Upon careful review of the matter, we accept the 
stipulation, 
impose 
the 
requested 
discipline 
and 
order 
restitution.  Because the matter has been resolved by means of a 
stipulation, without the need for the appointment of a referee, we 
impose no costs on Attorney Caspari.  
¶3 
Attorney Caspari was admitted to the practice of law in 
Wisconsin in 2004 and practices in Milwaukee.  In 2015, she 
received a consensual private reprimand for misconduct involving 
two client matters in which she failed to respond to clients' 
inquiries regarding the status of their matter and in which she 
charged a client for legal fees even though she did not perform 
the work.  She also failed to refund unearned fees upon termination 
of the representation.  Private Reprimand No.   2015-21 (electronic 
copy 
available 
at 
https://compendium. 
wicourts.gov/app/raw/002809.html). 
¶4 
In 2016, pursuant to another SCR 22.12 stipulation, this 
court suspended Attorney Caspari's law license for 60 days for 
misconduct arising out of four client matters and involving various 
counts of misconduct, including billing the SPD for tasks that she 
did not actually perform and failing to correct invoices or refund 
those fees for years.  In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against 
Caspari, 2016 WI 72, 371 Wis. 2d 567, 882 N.W.2d 852. 
¶5 
The OLR filed a three-count complaint against Attorney 
Caspari on June 28, 2019.  The parties' stipulation was filed on 
February 10, 2020. 
No. 
2019AP1175-D   
 
3 
 
¶6 
The stipulation states that on December 19, 2013, the 
SPD appointed Attorney Caspari to represent J.P. on felony criminal 
charges in Kenosha County.  A competency hearing was scheduled for 
January 10, 2014. 
¶7 
The SPD also appointed Attorney Caspari to represent 
K.W. in a juvenile matter in Kenosha County. 
¶8 
Attorney Caspari hired Dr. David Thompson's office, 
Clinical Psychology Associates, to conduct an evaluation of J.P. 
and a legal competency evaluation for K.W. 
¶9 
Dr. Thompson submitted invoices to Attorney Caspari for 
services he provided on behalf of J.P. and K.W.  The SPD authorized 
payment to Dr. Thompson for the evaluations. 
¶10 On September 21, 2016, the Wisconsin Department of 
Administration (DOA) issued payment to Attorney Caspari, in care 
of Daniels Capital Corporation (Daniels), a financing company that 
provides advance payments to government-appointed criminal defense 
attorneys, for Dr. Thompson's services related to J.P.  Daniels 
issued payments to Attorney Caspari.  She did not deposit the funds 
into a trust account, instead depositing them into her business 
checking account.  Attorney Caspari did not promptly provide Dr. 
Thompson with notice of her receipt of the funds, nor did she 
promptly deliver the funds to him. 
¶11 On November 23, 2016, the DOA issued a payment to 
Attorney Caspari, in care of Daniels, for Dr. Thompson's services 
related to K.W.  Daniels issued payment to Attorney Caspari.  She 
did not deposit the funds into a trust account, instead depositing 
them into her business checking account.  Attorney Caspari did not 
No. 
2019AP1175-D   
 
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promptly provide Dr. Thompson with notice of her receipt of the 
funds, nor did she promptly deliver the funds to him.  She used 
the funds for her own purposes. 
¶12 In June 2017, Dr. Thompson's office contacted the SPD 
regarding problems in collecting payments for work completed for 
Attorney 
Caspari's 
SPD 
clients. 
 
Attorney 
Caspari 
sent 
Dr. Thompson an email acknowledging that she owed him $3,642.50 
for J.P. and $1,320 for K.W.  She said, "I had thought that I paid 
the latter but did not."  She proposed a payment plan that would 
commence in July 2017 and conclude with full reimbursement to Dr. 
Thompson by November 2017.   
¶13 On or about July 21, 2017, Attorney Caspari made a $50 
payment toward Dr. Thompson's bill in the J.P. matter.  She paid 
Dr. Thompson an additional $50 on or about June 7, 2019 and has 
paid nothing further to Dr. Thompson since that time. 
¶14 By 
virtue 
of 
the 
stipulation, 
Attorney 
Caspari 
stipulates to the following counts of misconduct: 
Count 1:  By failing to deposit into a trust account 
funds intended for payment to Dr. Thompson, Attorney 
Caspari violated SCR 20:1.15(b)(1).1 
Count 2:  By failing to promptly notify Dr. Thompson of 
her receipt of funds intended for payment of his 
                                                 
1 SCR 20:1.15(b)(1) provides:   
A lawyer shall hold in trust, separate from the 
lawyer's own property, that property of clients and 3rd 
parties that is in the lawyer's possession in connection 
with a representation. All funds of clients and 3rd 
parties paid to a lawyer or law firm in connection with 
a representation shall be deposited in one or more 
identifiable trust accounts. 
No. 
2019AP1175-D   
 
5 
 
services, and by failing to promptly disburse those 
funds 
to 
him, 
Attorney 
Caspari 
violated 
SCR 20:1.15(e)(1).2 
Count 3:  By converting to her own use State-issued funds 
intended for payment to Dr. Thompson, Attorney Caspari 
violated SCR 20:8.4(c).3 
¶15 Attorney Caspari represents that she fully understands 
the 
misconduct 
allegations; 
she 
fully 
understands 
the 
ramifications should this court impose the stipulated level of 
discipline; she fully understands her right to contest the matter; 
she fully understands her right to consult with counsel and says 
she has retained and consulted with counsel; she states her entry 
into the stipulation is made knowingly and voluntarily; and 
represents her decision not to contest the misconduct alleged in 
the complaint or the level and type of discipline sought by the 
OLR's director. 
¶16 Attorney Caspari further avers that from December 2013 
through June 2017, she believed she was suffering from severe 
anxiety and chronic depression which was causing severe emotional 
                                                 
2 SCR 20:1.15(e)(1) provides: 
Upon receiving funds or other property in which a 
client has an interest, or in which a lawyer has received 
notice that a 3rd party has an interest identified by a 
lien, court order, judgment, or contract, the lawyer 
shall promptly notify the client or 3rd party in writing. 
Except as stated in this rule or otherwise 148 permitted 
by law or by agreement with the client, the lawyer shall 
promptly deliver to the client or 3rd party any funds or 
other property that the client or 3rd party is entitled 
to receive. 
3 SCR 20:8.4(c) provides:  "It is professional misconduct for 
a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit 
oar misrepresentation." 
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2019AP1175-D   
 
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dysfunction; that she was under the care of a healthcare 
professional for those conditions; and that if a hearing had been 
held she would have been prepared to admit evidence that the 
condition contributed to the misconduct described in the 
stipulation. 
¶17 In its memorandum in support of the stipulation, the OLR 
points to prior decisions in which this court imposed 90-day 
suspensions for somewhat analogous conduct.  In re Disciplinary 
Proceedings Against Alfredson, 2019 WI 17, 385 Wis. 2d 565, 923 
N.W.2d 869 (imposing 90-day suspension for professional misconduct 
in two client matters and failure to cooperate with the OLR's 
investigation.  The misconduct included failing to hold a client's 
funds in trust and failing to promptly deliver funds collected in 
connection with the attorney's representation of a client to the 
client's ex-wife's lawyer); In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against 
Wood, 2013 WI 11, 345 Wis. 2d 279, 825 N.W.2d 473 (imposing 90-
day suspension for seven counts of misconduct including failing to 
hold client's settlement funds in trust; failing to provide the 
client with a written fee agreement; failing to keep a client 
informed about the status of their matter; and withdrawing funds 
from a client trust account via teller transactions). 
¶18 After careful review of this matter, we accept the 
stipulation and impose the requested discipline.  Although no two 
disciplinary proceedings are identical, the misconduct at issue 
here is somewhat analogous to Alfredson and Wood, in which 90-day 
suspensions were imposed.  We agree with the OLR's comments in its 
memorandum in support of the stipulation that Attorney Caspari's 
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2019AP1175-D   
 
7 
 
misconduct is aggravated by the fact that she has been disciplined 
on two prior occasions.  In mitigation of her misconduct, the OLR 
says Attorney Caspari has been cooperative in the investigation 
and prosecution of this matter.  She has shown remorse.  She has 
acknowledged her misconduct and entered into the stipulation.  She 
also asserts that she suffered from personal or emotional problems 
during the time the misconduct occurred. 
¶19 Upon consideration of the misconduct and the aggravating 
and mitigating factors, we agree that a 90-day license suspension 
is an appropriate sanction for Attorney Caspari's misconduct.  We 
also agree that she should be ordered to pay $4,862.50 in 
restitution to Dr. David Thompson.  Because this matter was 
resolved by means of a stipulation, without the need for the 
appointment of a referee, we impose no costs on Attorney Caspari. 
¶20 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Diane R. Caspari to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of 90 days, 
effective July 9, 2020. 
¶21 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date of 
this order Diane R. Caspari shall pay to Dr. David Thompson the 
sum of $4,862.50.  
¶22 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Diane R. Caspari shall comply 
with the provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person 
whose license to practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended. 
¶23 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement.  See 
SCR 22.28(2). 
 
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