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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. WICKHAM

Cite as 309 Neb. 420

State of Nebraska ex rel. Counsel for Discipline 

of the Nebraska Supreme Court, relator, v. 

Christopher P. Wickham, respondent.

___ N.W.2d ___

Filed June 4, 2021. No. S-21-078.

Original action. Judgment of public reprimand.

Heavican, C.J., Miller-Lerman, Cassel, Stacy, Funke, 

Papik, and Freudenberg, JJ.

Per Curiam.

INTRODUCTION

This case is before the court on the conditional admission 

filed by Christopher P. Wickham, the respondent, on April 15, 

2021. The court accepts the respondent’s conditional admission 

and enters an order of public reprimand.

FACTS

The respondent was admitted to the practice of law in the 

State of Nebraska on September 15, 2009. At all times relevant 

to these proceedings, the respondent was engaged in the practice of law in Broken Bow, Nebraska.

On February 1, 2021, the Counsel for Discipline of the 

Nebraska Supreme Court, the relator, filed formal charges 

against the respondent. The formal charges consisted of two 

counts. Pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-302, the respondent is 

under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Inquiry of the Sixth 

Judicial District (Committee).

The matters alleged in the formal charges were reviewed 

by the Committee pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-309(H) (rev. 

Nebraska Supreme Court Online Library

www.nebraska.gov/apps-courts-epub/

08/20/2021 09:14 AM CDT
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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. WICKHAM

Cite as 309 Neb. 420

2011). The Committee determined that there are reasonable 

grounds for discipline of the respondent and that the public 

interest would be served by the filing of formal charges.

The formal charges generally allege violations stemming 

from the respondent’s representation of criminal defendants’ 

facing felony charges. The clients had extensive criminal 

records. The respondent arranged to have his clients plead 

guilty to the charged offenses and have the defendants flee 

the state prior to their sentencing hearings. The respondent 

brokered a “‘banishment plan’” with the prosecution, who 

privately agreed not to seek to extradite the defendants after 

they fled.

The formal charges allege that by his actions, the respondent 

violated his oath of office as an attorney licensed to practice 

law in the State of Nebraska, as provided by Neb. Rev. Stat. 

§ 7-104 (Reissue 2012), and violated Neb. Ct. R. of Prof. 

Cond. §§ 3-503.3(a)(1) and (b) (rev. 2016) (candor toward tribunal) and 3-508.4(c) and (d) (rev. 2016) (misconduct).

On April 15, 2021, the respondent filed a conditional admission pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-313(B) of the disciplinary 

rules, in which he conditionally admitted that he violated his 

oath of office as an attorney and §§ 3-503.3(a)(1) and (b) 

(candor toward tribunal) and 3-508.4(c) and (d) (misconduct) 

of the professional conduct rules. In the conditional admission, 

the respondent admits that his conduct violated the identified 

rules of professional conduct. The respondent knowingly does 

not challenge or contest the truth of the matters conditionally 

asserted and waived all proceedings against him in exchange 

for a public reprimand.

The proposed conditional admission included a declaration 

by the Counsel for Discipline, stating that the respondent’s 

proposed discipline is appropriate under the facts of this case.

ANALYSIS

Section 3-313, which is a component of our rules governing 

procedures regarding attorney discipline, provides in pertinent part:
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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. WICKHAM

Cite as 309 Neb. 420

(B) At any time after the Clerk has entered a Formal 

Charge against a Respondent on the docket of the Court, 

the Respondent may file with the Clerk a conditional 

admission of the Formal Charge in exchange for a stated 

form of consent judgment of discipline as to all or part 

of the Formal Charge pending against him or her as 

determined to be appropriate by the Counsel for Discipline or any member appointed to prosecute on behalf of 

the Counsel for Discipline; such conditional admission is 

subject to approval by the Court. The conditional admission shall include a written statement that the Respondent 

knowingly admits or knowingly does not challenge or 

contest the truth of the matter or matters conditionally 

admitted and waives all proceedings against him or her in 

connection therewith. If a tendered conditional admission 

is not finally approved as above provided, it may not be 

used as evidence against the Respondent in any way.

Pursuant to § 3-313, and given the conditional admission, we 

find that the respondent knowingly does not challenge or contest the matters conditionally admitted. We further determine 

that by his conduct, the respondent violated §§ 3-503.3(a)(1) 

and (b) (candor toward tribunal) and 3-508.4(c) and (d) (misconduct) of the professional conduct rules and his oath of 

office as an attorney licensed in the State of Nebraska. The 

respondent has waived all additional proceedings against him 

in connection herewith. Upon due consideration, the court 

approves the conditional admission and enters the orders as 

indicated below.

CONCLUSION

The respondent is publicly reprimanded. If the respondent 

applies to appear pro hac vice, he must disclose this discipline. 

The respondent is directed to pay costs and expenses in accordance with Neb. Ct. R. §§ 3-310(P) (rev. 2019) and 3-323 of the 

disciplinary rules within 60 days after an order imposing costs 

and expenses, if any, is entered by the court.

Judgment of public reprimand.