Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. John H. Wolf, III
Citation: 2008 WI 7
Docket Number: 2007AP002558-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: January 24, 2008

2008 WI 7 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2007AP2558-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings 
Against John H. Wolf, III, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
John H. Wolf, III, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MEDICAL INCAPACITY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WOLF 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
January 23, 2008   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2008 WI 7
 
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.  2007AP2558-D  
 
 
In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings 
Against John H. Wolf, III, Attorney at Law: 
 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
John H. Wolf, III, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JAN 23, 2008 
 
David R. Schanker 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
Madison, WI 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Court entered the following order on this date: 
 
On November 7, 2007, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
filed an order to answer and a medical incapacity petition, 
pursuant to SCR 22.34, against Attorney John H. Wolf, III.  On 
December 26, 2007, the parties filed a stipulation, pursuant to 
SCR 22.34(10), whereby they jointly recommend that conditions be 
imposed on Attorney Wolf's continued practice of law for a 
period of two years.  The court deems it appropriate to consider 
the petition and stipulation without the appointment of a 
referee.  It also finds it appropriate to accept the stipulation 
and impose conditions on Attorney Wolf's continued practice of 
law for a period of two years.   
 
Attorney Wolf was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 
1979 and practices in Waukesha.  On April 10, 2007, he received 
a public reprimand in connection with acts of disorderly conduct 
and acts leading to a misdemeanor conviction of operation of a 
No.  2007AP2558-D 
 
2 
firearm (with controlled substance).  The public reprimand was 
imposed by a referee, pursuant to SCR 22.09, conditioned upon 
Attorney Wolf's continued treatment for drug and alcohol abuse 
as recommended by his probation officer and upon quarterly 
reporting to the OLR for one year of his compliance with the 
treatment plan.  
 
Attorney Wolf has admitted each of the factual allegations 
in the OLR's medical incapacity petition, including the fact 
that he has relapsed on multiple occasions in 2007. The parties 
have stipulated that Attorney Wolf suffers from a medical 
incapacity, 
having 
been 
diagnosed 
with 
various 
drug 
dependencies, a generalized anxiety disorder, and a major 
depressive disorder, that at times substantially prevent him 
from performing the duties of an attorney to acceptable 
professional standards.  The stipulation states that Attorney 
Wolf is aware he has the right to seek the advice of counsel and 
that he consulted with his attorney prior to entering into the 
stipulation; that he entered the stipulation freely, voluntarily 
and knowingly; and the stipulation was not the result of a plea 
bargain.  In a memorandum in support of the stipulation, the OLR 
director states that he closely considered the particular 
circumstances and manifestations of Attorney Wolf's medical 
issues and concluded that public protection required the filing 
of a formal medical incapacity action, but also concluded that 
were the court to impose the conditions stipulated by the 
parties there was no immediate need to request the suspension of 
Attorney Wolf's Wisconsin law license.  
 
SCR 22.34(10) provides that this court may consider the 
petition and stipulation without the appointment of a referee 
and if the court approves the stipulation it shall issue an 
order consistent with the stipulation.  The court deems it 
appropriate to consider the petition and stipulation without the 
appointment of a referee.  The court approves the stipulation 
and 
also 
deems 
it 
appropriate 
to 
impose 
the 
stipulated 
conditions upon Attorney Wolf's continued practice of law for a 
period of two years.   
 
IT IS ORDERED THAT, for a period of two years from the date 
of this order, John H. Wolf, III shall: 
 
(a) Provide 
full 
medical 
release 
forms 
to 
OLR 
as 
requested; 
(b) Maintain absolute sobriety, with monitoring to include 
random breathalyzer and/or urine checks; 
(c) Submit quarterly psychiatric reports to OLR; 
No.  2007AP2558-D 
 
3 
(d) Submit quarterly self-reports to OLR detailing his: 
(1) drug screens; (2) medical/mental health appointments; (3) 
treatment participation; (4) compliance with any medication 
regimen prescribed by his healthcare providers; (5) arrests; and 
(6) convictions. 
 
 
No.  2007AP2558-D 
 
4