Title: Board of Attorney Professional Responsibility v. Harold E. Krause, Jr.
Citation: 2000 WI 114
Docket Number: 2000AP000992-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: October 26, 2000

2000 WI 114 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
Case No.: 
00-0992-D 
 
 
Complete Title 
of Case: 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Harold E. Krause, Jr., Attorney at Law. 
 
Board of Attorney Professional Responsibility,  
 
Complainant, 
 
v. 
Harold E. Krause, Jr.,  
 
Respondent.  
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KRAUSE 
 
 
 
Opinion Filed: 
October 26, 2000 
Submitted on Briefs: 
      
Oral Argument: 
      
 
 
Source of APPEAL 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
Concurred: 
      
 
Dissented: 
      
 
Not Participating:       
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
      
 
2000 WI 114 
 
 
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further editing and 
modification.  The final version will appear in 
the bound volume of the official reports. 
 
 
No. 00-0992-D 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN               :        
        
 
 
 
 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Harold E. Krause, Jr., Attorney  
at Law. 
 
Board of Attorney Professional  
Responsibility,  
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Harold E. Krause, Jr.,  
 
          Respondent.  
 
FILED 
 
OCT 26, 2000 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
Madison, WI 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.  Attorney's 
license 
revoked. 
¶1 
PER CURIAM   We review the recommendation of the 
referee that the license of Harold E. Krause, Jr., to practice 
law in Wisconsin be revoked as discipline reciprocal to that 
imposed upon him in Rhode Island for professional misconduct.  
On September 21, 1999, the Rhode Island Supreme Court disbarred 
Attorney Krause, having determined that he had engaged in 31 
counts of professional misconduct, including withdrawing without 
court permission $25,000 from the estate of a person over whom 
he was appointed guardian, failing to reimburse that estate for 
No. 
00-0992-D 
 
2 
$10,350 in excess fees he had charged, failing to segregate the 
ward's funds in a separate account and commingling them with his 
own funds, failing promptly to pay bills owed by the ward, 
continuing to serve as guardian after the court directed his 
removal, converting a portion of personal injury settlement 
funds belonging to a minor client, and negotiating a check for a 
portion of a personal injury settlement after having endorsed it 
on behalf of the State of Rhode Island without authorization.  
¶2 
We determine that the professional misconduct for 
which Attorney Krause was disbarred in Rhode Island warrants the 
revocation of his license to practice law in Wisconsin.  In 
addition to that misconduct, he engaged in misconduct by failing 
to notify the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility of 
the Rhode Island disbarment, as required by SCR 22.25(1).1  In 
the instant proceeding, he stipulated that he has not supported 
any claim under SCR 22.25(5)2 that imposition of discipline 
                     
1 Former SCR 22.25(1), applicable to the instant proceeding, 
 provided: 
An attorney admitted to practice law in this state, upon 
being subjected to public discipline or suspended for medical 
incapacity in another jurisdiction, shall promptly inform the 
administrator of the action.  Failure to furnish the notice 
within 20 days of the effective date of the order or judgment 
constitutes misconduct.  
2 Former SCR 22.25(5), applicable to the instant proceeding, 
 provided: 
(5) Upon the expiration of 20 days from service of the 
complaint issued under sub. (2), the referee shall file a report 
with the court recommending the imposition of the identical 
discipline or medical suspension unless: 
No. 
00-0992-D 
 
3 
identical to that imposed in Rhode Island is not warranted.  He 
stipulated, in addition, to pay the costs of the instant 
proceeding.  
¶3 
Attorney Krause was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in February 1970.  He resides in Rhode Island and is 
not practicing law currently in Wisconsin.  He was disciplined 
here previously in 1997, when we suspended his license for one 
year as discipline reciprocal to discipline imposed previously 
in Rhode Island.   
¶4 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Harold E. Krause, 
Jr., to practice law in Wisconsin is revoked, effective the date 
of this order. 
¶5 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date 
of this order, Harold E. Krause, Jr., pay to the Office of 
Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding. 
¶6 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Harold E. Krause, Jr., 
comply with the provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of 
a person whose license to practice law in Wisconsin is revoked.  
                                                                  
(a) The procedure was so lacking in notice or opportunity 
to be heard as to constitute a deprivation of due 
process;  
(b) There was such an infirmity of proof establishing the 
misconduct or medical incapacity that the referee 
could not accept as final, the conclusion on that 
subject; or  
(c) The misconduct established justifies substantially 
different discipline in this state.  
 
No. 
00-0992-D 
 
4 
 
 
 
 
1