Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. John A. Chavez
Citation: 2012 WI 83
Docket Number: 2005AP002110-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: July 10, 2012

2012 WI 83 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2005AP2110-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against John A. Chavez, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
John A. Chavez, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST CHAVEZ 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
July 10, 2012   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
   
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2012 WI 83
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2005AP2110-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In The Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against John A. Chavez, Attorney at Law. 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
John A. Chavez, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JUL 10, 2012 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY reinstatement proceeding.   Reinstatement granted 
upon conditions.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review a report filed by Referee 
Lisa C. 
Goldman 
recommending 
the 
court 
reinstate, 
with 
conditions, John A. Chavez's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin.  After fully reviewing this matter, we agree that 
Attorney 
Chavez's 
license 
should 
be 
reinstated 
and 
that 
conditions should be placed upon his practice of law.  We also 
determine that Attorney Chavez should be required to pay the 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
2 
 
costs of this reinstatement proceeding, which were $2,604.06 as 
of January 5, 2012.   
¶2 
Attorney Chavez was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1990.  He worked for two years as a prosecutor in 
Jefferson County and then joined a small firm in Whitewater for 
approximately eight months.  In September 1992 Attorney Chavez 
started his own law firm in Cambridge, Wisconsin, and continued 
to practice law until his license was indefinitely suspended due 
to his medical incapacity.   
¶3 
Attorney Chavez's license to practice law was first 
suspended on November 17, 2004, for failure to cooperate with an 
OLR grievance investigation.  On October 7, 2005, Attorney 
Chavez and the OLR entered into a stipulation recommending that 
his license remain suspended indefinitely based on medical 
incapacity due to alcohol addiction.  This court suspended 
Attorney Chavez's license indefinitely on December 14, 2005.  In 
re Medical Incapacity Proceedings Against Chavez, 2005 WI 167, 
286 Wis. 2d 556, 706 N.W.2d 822. 
¶4 
On December 23, 2010, Attorney Chavez petitioned the 
supreme court to reinstate his law license.1  Supreme court rule 
22.362 governs reinstatement following suspension due to medical 
                                                 
1 Attorney Chavez first petitioned this court to reinstate 
his law license on October 13, 2008.  The court granted Attorney 
Chavez's motion to voluntarily withdraw his petition for 
reinstatement on December 21, 2009. 
2 SCR 22.36 provides:  Reinstatement; removal of conditions. 
 
(1)  An attorney whose license to practice law is 
suspended or whose practice of law is subject to 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
3 
 
                                                                                                                                                             
conditions for medical incapacity may petition the 
supreme court at any time for reinstatement of the 
license or the removal of conditions. 
 
(2)  The supreme court shall refer the petition 
to the director for investigation to determine whether 
the attorney's medical incapacity has been removed. 
 
(3)  The filing of a petition for reinstatement 
constitutes a waiver of any privilege existing between 
the petitioner and any psychiatrist, psychologist, 
physician or other health care provider that has 
provided care to the attorney.  The petitioner shall 
disclose the name of every psychiatrist, psychologist, 
physician and other health care provider that has 
provided care following suspension or the imposition 
of conditions and shall furnish the director written 
consent to the release of information and records 
requested by the medical experts appointed by the 
director or a referee.  
 
(4)  The 
director 
may 
direct 
a 
medical 
or 
psychological examination of the petitioner by such 
qualified experts as the director designates and may 
direct that the expense of the examination be paid by 
the petitioner.  
 
(5)  Following the investigation, the petition 
shall be submitted to a referee selected by the clerk 
of the supreme court, based on geographic proximity to 
the respondent's place of residence, and appointed by 
the chief justice or, in his or her absence, the 
senior justice. 
 
(6)  The petitioner has the burden of showing by 
clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence that the 
medical incapacity has been removed and that the 
petitioner is fit to resume the practice of law, with 
or without conditions.   
 
(7)  The referee shall hold a hearing on the 
petition, 
if 
necessary, 
and 
file 
a 
report 
and 
recommendation in the supreme court. 
 
(8)  If an attorney whose license to practice law 
has been suspended for medical incapacity pursuant to 
SCR 22.35 is thereafter judicially declared to be no 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
4 
 
incapacity.  It provides that the petitioner has the burden of 
showing by clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence that (1) 
the medical incapacity has been removed, and (2) the petitioner 
is fit to resume the practice of law, with or without 
conditions.  SCR 22.36(6).  Both requirements are necessary for 
reinstatement.  In re Medical Incapacity Proceedings Against 
Schlieve, 2010 WI 22, ¶22, 323 Wis. 2d 654, 780 N.W.2d 516.  
¶5 
Referee Lisa Goldman was appointed on May 24, 2011, 
and 
conducted 
an 
evidentiary 
reinstatement 
hearing 
on 
November 3, 2011.  The evidence presented included medical 
records, an independent medical examination, and testimony from 
Attorney Chavez and from his friends, family, and community 
members.  The referee made factual findings documenting Attorney 
Chavez's struggles with alcohol addiction prior to and after the 
medical incapacity proceeding.  
¶6 
The record evidence indicates, and the referee found, 
that Attorney Chavez has not consumed alcohol since February 9, 
2010.  The referee found that Attorney Chavez has responsibly 
controlled his alcohol addiction for the past year and nine 
months as of the date of her report.  Medical records support 
this finding.   
¶7 
The record indicates that Attorney Chavez entered into 
a monitoring contract with WisLAP, completing his assessment on 
                                                                                                                                                             
longer in the condition previously determined under 
Wis. Stat. chapter 51 or chapter 880 (1997-98), the 
supreme 
court 
may 
direct 
reinstatement 
of 
the 
attorney's license, with or without conditions.  
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
5 
 
May 4, 2011.3  The WisLAP contract requires Attorney Chavez to 
(a) undergo a complete professional evaluation (which has been 
completed); (b) comply with all treatment recommendations; (c) 
abstain from all alcohol and other mood-altering substances; (d) 
abstain from taking over-the-counter medications that contain 
alcohol or mood-altering substances; (e) register with Affinity 
Online Solutions and submit to random alcohol/drug/prescription 
medication screens as requested; (f) meet with his WisLAP 
monitor a minimum of once each month; (g) make verbal contact 
weekly with his monitor when not meeting in person; (h) attend 
community-based support groups a minimum of two times weekly and 
obtain certification of attendance; and (i) comply with other 
notification requirements.  The OLR does not oppose Attorney 
Chavez's reinstatement, but asserts reinstatement should be 
conditioned 
upon 
the 
court 
requiring 
Attorney 
Chavez 
to 
participate in the WisLAP contract and attend AA meetings two to 
three times per week.  
¶8 
The referee also made findings related to whether 
Attorney Chavez is fit to practice law.  See SCRs 22.34—22.36.   
¶9 
The referee found no evidence that Attorney Chavez 
practiced law during his suspension.  The referee found that 
Attorney 
Chavez 
has 
complied 
with 
this 
court's 
prior 
disciplinary order and has complied with the requirements of 
                                                 
3 The record indicates that Attorney Chavez has delayed 
commencing monitoring due to the costs associated with aspects 
of the monitoring agreement. 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
6 
 
SCR 22.26 regarding the activities of a person whose license is 
suspended. 
¶10 The referee found that Attorney Chavez has attended 
continuing legal education (CLE) seminars and is currently in 
compliance 
with 
the 
CLE 
and 
ethics 
and 
professional 
responsibility (EPR) requirements for reinstatement.  Mindful 
however that Attorney Chavez has not practiced law for seven 
years, the referee recommended Attorney Chavez obtain a mentor 
attorney for two years to assist him with his reintegration into 
the practice of law, and also recommended that Attorney Chavez 
obtain certain CLE training should he decide to open a new law 
office.  The referee concluded that "[t]hese parameters should 
ensure that [Attorney] Chavez transition smoothly into the 
practice of law." 
¶11 The referee noted that lawyers who have known Attorney 
Chavez for years wrote letters asserting that Attorney Chavez 
was a fine attorney while he practiced law and expressed 
confidence that Attorney Chavez would continue to be a fine 
attorney so long as he remained sober.  Attorney Chavez was 
described as capable, competent, and hard working.  The referee 
explicitly found that "[a]ll of the evidence in this case 
reveals that [Attorney] Chavez was, prior to his medical 
incapacity, a very good attorney." 
¶12 The referee considered the fact that Attorney Chavez 
owes child support arrears and that he received three criminal 
convictions relating to child support after the date of his 
indefinite 
suspension. 
 
Attorney 
Chavez 
testified 
that 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
7 
 
approximately one-half of his paychecks are being applied to 
these arrears, and he provided documentary support for that 
assertion.  As the referee noted, resuming the practice of law 
should better enable Attorney Chavez to meet his financial 
obligations. 
¶13 After considering all of the evidence, the referee 
concluded that Attorney Chavez met his burden pursuant to 
SCR 22.36(6) to show by clear, satisfactory, and convincing 
evidence that his medical incapacity has been removed and that 
he is fit to practice law.  The referee recommended the court 
reinstate Attorney Chavez's license subject to conditions as set 
forth below. 
¶14 No appeal has been filed so the court considers this 
matter pursuant to SCR 22.33(3).4  A referee's findings of fact 
will not be overturned unless clearly erroneous.  In re 
Disciplinary Proceedings Against Eisenberg, 2004 WI 14, ¶5, 269 
Wis. 2d 43, 675 N.W.2d 747.  We independently review the 
referee's legal conclusions, noting that whether the petitioner 
has demonstrated fitness to resume the practice of law presents 
a legal question we review de novo.  See Nottelson v. Wis. Dep't 
of Indus., Labor, and Human Relations, 94 Wis. 2d 106, 116, 287 
N.W.2d 763 (1980).   
                                                 
4 SCR 22.33(3) states:  "If no appeal is timely filed, the 
supreme 
court 
shall 
review 
the 
referee's 
report, 
order 
reinstatement, with or without conditions, deny reinstatement, 
or order the parties to file briefs in the matter." 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
8 
 
¶15 We 
conclude 
the 
referee's 
findings 
support 
a 
determination that Attorney Chavez has met his burden under 
SCR 22.36(6) to establish by clear, convincing, and satisfactory 
evidence that his medical incapacity is removed and he is fit to 
resume the practice of law.  We agree that some conditions on 
Attorney Chavez's license to practice law are necessary to 
ensure that Attorney Chavez continues to receive appropriate 
treatment.  The conditions imposed are based on the OLR's 
suggestions as well as those recommended by the referee.  
¶16 Finally, we order Attorney Chavez to pay the costs of 
this proceeding.  We are aware that Attorney Chavez has 
significant financial obligations, and we direct Attorney Chavez 
to work with the OLR to reach an agreement by which the cost 
assessment may be paid over time.  See In re Disciplinary 
Proceedings Against Konnor, 2005 WI 37, ¶50, 279 Wis. 2d 284, 
694 N.W.2d 376 (Abrahamson, C.J., concurring) ("If a lawyer 
cannot pay the full costs immediately, an agreement may be 
reached to enable the lawyer to pay the costs over time.").   
¶17 IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reinstatement of 
the license of John A. Chavez to practice law in Wisconsin is 
granted, effective July 24, 2012. 
¶18 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, as a condition of the 
reinstatement of his license to practice law in Wisconsin, 
John A. Chavez shall, within 14 days after the date of this 
order and prior to resuming the practice of law, activate a 
monitoring contract with WisLAP and shall comply, to the best of 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
9 
 
his ability, with all conditions imposed therein which may 
include but may not be limited to:5  
A. 
Complying with all treatment recommendations; 
B. 
Abstaining from all alcohol and other mood-altering 
substances;  
C. 
Abstaining from taking over-the-counter medications 
that contain alcohol or mood-altering substances;  
D. 
Registering 
with 
Affinity 
Online 
Solutions 
and 
submitting 
to 
random 
alcohol/drug/prescription 
medication 
screens as requested;  
E. 
Meeting with his WisLAP monitor a minimum of once per 
month and making verbal contact with his WisLAP monitor once per 
week;  
F. 
Attending community-based support groups, such as 
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, a minimum of two times weekly and 
obtaining certification of attendance, and complying with other 
notification requirements until further order of the court; 
G. 
Submitting, at his own expense and until further order 
of this court, to random alcohol and substance abuse screening 
as directed and monitored by the Office of Lawyer Regulation to 
                                                 
5 It is the court's understanding that Attorney Chavez has 
already submitted to an alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) 
evaluation by a professional AODA counselor or treatment 
provider approved by the Office of Lawyer Regulation, which 
assessed Attorney Chavez's substance abuse history and current 
status and made specific recommendations for Attorney Chavez's 
continuing treatment or maintenance.  Any such written AODA 
evaluation received by the Office of Lawyer Regulation shall be 
maintained by the OLR as confidential. 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
10 
 
confirm his sobriety and that he is not using illegal 
substances. 
These conditions shall remain in effect until further order 
of the court. 
¶19 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 30 days after the 
date of this order, John A. Chavez shall, if he has not already 
done so, sign reciprocal releases of confidentiality (complying 
with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 
Act and all other applicable federal and state laws) for each 
treatment provider who is providing or has provided alcohol-
related or substance abuse-related treatment or services to 
John A. Chavez so that such treatment providers may share 
pertinent information related to John A. Chavez's substance 
abuse history and related issues.  In addition to authorizing 
other treatment providers to obtain access to such treatment 
information, the releases signed by John A. Chavez shall also 
authorize disclosure of all records concerning alcohol-related 
or substance abuse-related treatment or services to the Office 
of Lawyer Regulation.  The Office of Lawyer Regulation shall 
maintain as confidential all information or documents received 
pursuant to these releases.  The releases required by this 
paragraph shall remain in effect for two years from the date of 
this order. 
¶20 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, during the first two-year 
period after his reinstatement, John A. Chavez shall be subject 
to the direct supervisory authority of a mentor attorney 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
11 
 
approved by the Office of Lawyer Regulation pursuant to the 
requirements of SCR 20:5.1(b). 
¶21 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED if, within the first two-year 
period after his reinstatement, John A. Chavez decides to resume 
practice as a solo practitioner, John A. Chavez shall attend a 
minimum of seven (7) hours of continuing legal education 
concerning the subjects of fee agreements, client trust account 
management, and law office management, and shall provide 
certificates of attendance for such seminars to the Office of 
Lawyer 
Regulation 
prior 
to 
resuming 
practice 
as 
a 
solo 
practitioner. 
¶22 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 120 days of the date 
of this order, John A. Chavez shall pay to the Office of Lawyer 
Regulation the costs of this proceeding.  If the costs are not 
paid within the time specified and John A. Chavez has not 
negotiated a resolution as to the payment of the costs over time 
with the Office of Lawyer Regulation, the Office of Lawyer 
Regulation is authorized to move this court for a further 
suspension of the license of John A. Chavez to practice law in 
Wisconsin. 
 
 
No. 
2005AP2110-D   
 
 
 
1