Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Duane Craig Mikkelsen

Citation: 2004 WI 72

Docket Number: 2004AP000336-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2004-06-08T00:00:00Z

Document:
2004 WI 72 
 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
04-0336-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Duane Craig Mikkelsen, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Duane Craig Mikkelsen,  
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MIKKELSEN 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
June 8, 2004   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
BRADLEY, J., concurs but would suspend Attorney 
Mikkelsen’s license as of the date of this 
order.   
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2004 WI 72 
 
 
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.  04-0336-D  
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Duane Craig Mikkelsen, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Duane Craig Mikkelsen,  
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JUN 8, 2004 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
Madison, WI 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Court entered the following order on this date: 
 
On February 3, 2004, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
filed a disciplinary complaint against Attorney Duane Craig 
Mikkelsen asking this court to impose reciprocal discipline 
identical to that imposed on Attorney Mikkelsen by the Oregon 
Supreme Court.  That court suspended Attorney Mikkelsen’s Oregon 
law license for one year, effective January 17, 2004.  On 
February 4, 2004, this court issued an order to show cause 
directing Attorney Mikkelsen to show cause in writing by 
February 24, 2004 why the imposition of the identical discipline 
imposed by the Oregon Supreme Court would be unwarranted.  
Attorney Mikkelsen has responded to the order to show cause 
admitting that he was suspended by the Oregon Supreme Court for 
one year and asserting that all but 90 days of that period was 
stayed.   
 
Attorney 
Mikkelsen 
was 
admitted 
to 
practice 
law 
in 
Wisconsin in 1988 and he became licensed to practice law in 
Oregon in 1982.  In 1982, Attorney Mikkelsen’s Wisconsin license 
No. 04-0336-D   
 
2 
was suspended for his failure to pay dues to the Wisconsin State 
Bar.  His Wisconsin license remains suspended. 
 
The one-year suspension in Oregon resulted from misconduct 
involving 
dishonesty, 
fraud, 
deceit 
or 
misrepresentation; 
neglect of a legal matter; and failure to promptly return client 
materials in one matter, and engaging in conduct including 
dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; lawyer self-
interest conflict, and neglect of a legal matter in another 
matter.   
 
SCR 22.22(3) provides that this court shall impose the 
identical discipline or license suspension unless the procedure 
in the 
other 
jurisdiction 
was so 
lacking 
in 
notice or 
opportunity to be heard as to constitute a due process 
violation; there was such an infirmity of proof establishing the 
misconduct that this court should not accept as final the 
misconduct finding; or the misconduct justifies substantially 
different discipline here.  Neither OLR nor Attorney Mikkelsen 
contend, nor does this court find, that any of these three 
exceptions exist.  
 
Accordingly, 
 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Duane Craig Mikkelsen to 
practice law in the state of Wisconsin be suspended for one 
year, effective as of January 17, 2004; 
 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this suspension does not affect 
the existing suspensions for failure to pay dues to the 
Wisconsin State Bar or failure to comply with CLE requirements 
which would also have to be satisfied in order for Attorney 
Mikkelsen’s 
license 
to 
practice 
law 
in 
Wisconsin 
to 
be 
reinstated; 
 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Attorney Mikkelsen shall comply, 
if he has not already done so, with the requirements of SCR 
22.26 pertaining to activities following suspension. 
 
 
Bradley, J., concurs but would suspend Attorney Mikkelsen’s 
license as of the date of this order.   
 
 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
No. 04-0336-D   
 
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No. 04-0336-D   
 
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