Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Gene B. Radcliffe
Citation: 2008 WI 128
Docket Number: 2008AP001791-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: December 23, 2008

2008 WI 128 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2008AP1791-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Gene B. Radcliffe, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Gene B. Radcliffe, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RADCLIFFE 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
December 23, 2008   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2008 WI 128
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  2008AP1791-D  
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Gene B. Radcliffe, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Gene B. Radcliffe, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
DEC 23, 2008 
 
David R. Schanker 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   
Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review the stipulation filed pursuant 
to SCR 22.121 by the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) and 
Attorney Gene B. Radcliffe. Attorney Radcliffe admits the 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.12(2) provides that if the court approves the 
stipulation, it shall adopt the stipulated facts and conclusions 
of law and impose the stipulated discipline.  SCR 22.12(3) 
provides that if the court rejects the stipulation, a referee 
shall be appointed and the matter shall proceed as a complaint 
filed without a stipulation. 
No. 
2008AP1791-D   
 
2 
 
misconduct alleged by the OLR and agrees to a 90-day suspension 
of his license to practice law in Wisconsin.  
¶2 
We adopt the stipulated facts and conclusions of law.  
We agree that Attorney Radcliffe's misconduct warrants the 
suspension of his license to practice law in Wisconsin for a 
period of 90 days.  The OLR has stated that it does not seek to 
impose the costs of this proceeding upon Attorney Radcliffe and 
we accept that recommendation. 
¶3 
Attorney Radcliffe was admitted to the practice of law 
in Wisconsin in 1976.  He received a private reprimand in 1981.   
¶4 
On July 22, 2008, the OLR filed a complaint against 
Attorney Radcliffe alleging one count of committing criminal 
conduct that reflected adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness 
or fitness as a lawyer in violation of SCR 20:8.4(b).2  The 
criminal conduct at issue involved two separate incidents in 
Illinois and Wisconsin.  Illinois police conducted a search of 
Attorney Radcliffe's vehicle and discovered marijuana, drug 
paraphernalia, and hydroponics supplies.  Illinois authorities 
then contacted Wisconsin authorities who obtained a warrant to 
search Attorney Radcliffe's Wisconsin home.  The Clark County, 
Wisconsin, sheriff's department discovered marijuana plants and 
supplies used to grow marijuana.  On September 27, 2007, 
Attorney Radcliffe pled guilty in the Clark County circuit court 
                                                 
2 SCR 20:8.4(b) states that it is professional misconduct 
for a lawyer to "commit a criminal act that reflects adversely 
on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer 
in other respects." 
No. 
2008AP1791-D   
 
3 
 
case to one count of manufacturing a controlled substance, a 
Class H felony.  Two related misdemeanor charges were dismissed 
on motion of the prosecutor.   
¶5 
At sentencing on December 19, 2007, Attorney Radcliffe 
expressed remorse for the hurt and damage he caused his family, 
friends, the community, and the legal profession.  Attorney 
Radcliffe was sentenced to time served (28 days), three years 
probation with the possibility of early discharge, and 100 hours 
of community service.  The court imposed other conditions as 
well, including suspension of his driver's license, drug 
treatment, and psychological counseling.   
¶6 
The stipulation, together with a memorandum in support 
of the stipulation, was filed with the court on August 14, 2008.   
¶7 
The memorandum provides that the parties did not 
engage 
in 
plea 
bargaining 
and 
that 
Attorney 
Radcliffe 
voluntarily stipulated to the charged misconduct, and that the 
parties agreed a 90-day suspension was appropriate discipline 
for the misconduct.  
¶8 
The 
memorandum discusses the proposed length of 
suspension 
in 
considerable 
detail, 
noting 
that 
attorney 
misconduct cases involving drugs have resulted in a wide array 
of dispositions.  The memorandum cites cases imposing sanctions 
ranging from a private reprimand to suspensions of two years. 
See e.g., In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Penn, 201 
Wis. 2d 405, 548 N.W.2d 526 (1996).  The stipulation explains 
that the precedent established by a case in which an attorney 
received a 90-day suspension represented the most appropriate 
No. 
2008AP1791-D   
 
4 
 
result for OLR to seek in the instant matter.  See In re 
Disciplinary Proceedings Against Smith, 183 Wis. 2d 721, 515 
N.W.2d 711 (1994).  The OLR noted that it considered the prior 
discipline——albeit remote in time——as an aggravating factor, as 
well as the fact there was more than a single event.  The OLR 
also noted that Attorney Radcliffe is well known in his 
community such that his misconduct "had the potential to cast 
the legal profession into considerable disrepute."  However, the 
OLR emphasized the sanctions received in the criminal court, 
Attorney Radcliffe's "full cooperation" as well as his "deep 
regret and remorse, including his publicly apologizing for his 
behavior."   
¶9 
We adopt the stipulation and the stipulated facts and 
conclusions of law, and impose the stipulated discipline.  We 
agree the seriousness of the misconduct warrants the suspension 
of Attorney Radcliffe's license to practice law for 90 days.  In 
view of the stipulation, the OLR does not seek costs.  Costs of 
this proceeding will not be imposed. 
¶10 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Gene B. Radcliffe to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of 90 days, 
effective January 19, 2009. 
¶11 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
yet done so, Attorney Radcliffe comply with the provisions of 
SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person whose license to 
practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended. 
No. 
2008AP1791-D   
 
 
 
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