Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Bruce A. Bode

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2003 WI 6 
 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
02-3244-D 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Bruce A. Bode, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
 
Complainant, 
 
v. 
Bruce A. Bode,  
 
Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST BODE 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
February 21, 2003   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2003 WI 6 
 
 
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.  02-3244-D  
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Bruce A. Bode, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Bruce A. Bode,  
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
FEB 21, 2003 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
Madison, WI 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Court entered the following order on this date: 
 
On December 5, 2002, the Office of Lawyer Regulation filed 
a disciplinary complaint against Attorney Bruce A. Bode asking 
this court to impose reciprocal discipline identical to that 
imposed on Attorney Bode by the Illinois Supreme Court.  That 
court suspended Attorney Bode’s Illinois law license for one 
year, effective September 20, 2001.  On December 10, 2002, this 
court issued an order to show cause directing Attorney Bode to 
show cause in writing by December 30, 2002 why the imposition of 
the identical discipline imposed by the Illinois Supreme Court 
would be unwarranted.  Attorney Bode failed to respond to the 
order to show cause. 
 
Attorney Bode was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 
1990 and he became licensed to practice law in Illinois that 
same year.  In 1992 Attorney Bode’s Wisconsin license was 
suspended for his failure to pay dues to the Wisconsin State 
No.  02-3244-D 
 
2 
Bar.  In 1993 his license was suspended for noncompliance with 
continuing legal education (CLE) requirements.  His Wisconsin 
license remains suspended. 
 
The 
one 
year 
suspension 
in 
Illinois 
resulted 
from 
misconduct involving ten separate clients and involved a pattern 
of failing to communicate with clients concerning the status of 
their cases, failing to timely complete legal matters, and 
failing to respond to inquiries from the Illinois Administrator 
of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. 
 
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 Bode 
contend, nor does this court find, that any of these three 
exceptions exist.  
 
Accordingly, 
 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Bruce A. Bode to practice 
law in the state of Wisconsin be suspended for one year, 
effective the date of this order; 
 
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 
Bode’s license to practice law in Wisconsin to be reinstated; 
 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Attorney Bode shall comply, if 
he has not already done so, with the requirements of SCR 22.26 
pertaining to activities following suspension. 
 
 
 
 
No.  02-3244-D 
 
2