Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Walter A. Paget
Citation: 2003 WI 130
Docket Number: 2003AP000159-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: October 7, 2003

2003 WI 130 
 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
03-0159-D 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Walter A. Paget, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
 
Complainant, 
 
v. 
Walter A. Paget,  
 
Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PAGET 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
October 7, 2003   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2003 WI 130 
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  03-0159-D  
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Walter A. Paget, Attorney at  
Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Walter A. Paget,  
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
OCT 7, 2003 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.  Attorney's 
license 
suspended.  
 
¶1 
PER 
CURIAM.   We 
review 
the 
findings 
of 
fact, 
conclusions 
of 
law, 
and 
recommendations 
of 
Referee 
John 
Schweitzer for sanctions, pursuant to SCR 22.17(2).1  Attorney 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.17(2) provides: 
(2) If no appeal is filed timely, the supreme 
court shall review the referee's report; adopt, reject 
or modify the referee's findings and conclusions or 
remand the matter to the referee for additional 
findings; 
and 
determine 
and 
impose 
appropriate 
discipline. The court, on its own motion, may order 
the parties to file briefs in the matter.  
No. 
03-0159-D   
 
2 
 
Walter A. Paget was found to have engaged in unprofessional 
conduct in the course of his practice of law in violation of the 
Rules of Professional Conduct.  The referee recommended a 60-day 
suspension of Attorney Paget's license to practice law and 
payment of $927.35 in costs. 
¶2 
We 
approve 
the 
findings, 
conclusions, 
and 
recommendations, and determine that the seriousness of Attorney 
Paget's misconduct warrants the imposition of these sanctions. 
¶3 
Attorney Paget was licensed to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1992.  On May 29, 1998, he consented to the 
imposition of a private reprimand for having knowingly engaged 
in the practice of law while his license was suspended for a 
period during 1997 for a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) 
violation.  On June 8, 1999, he was again administratively 
suspended for failure to comply with CLE requirements and it is 
his activity during the period of this suspension that forms the 
basis for the present proceeding. 
¶4 
On January 17, 2003, the Office of Lawyer Regulation 
(OLR) issued a complaint against Attorney Paget claiming that he 
had practiced law in 2001 while his license was administratively 
suspended.  The complaint alleged one count in violation of SCR 
31.10(1).2  Attorney Paget did not answer and otherwise has not 
                                                 
2 SCR 31.10(1) provides: 
(1) If 
a 
lawyer 
fails 
to 
comply 
with 
the 
attendance requirement of SCR 31.02, fails to comply 
with the reporting requirement of SCR 31.03(1), or 
fails to pay the late fee under SCR 31.03(2), the 
board shall serve a notice of noncompliance on the 
No. 
03-0159-D   
 
3 
 
contested the matter or appealed from the referee's report which 
was filed on May 15, 2003.   
¶5 
The complaint alleged, and the referee so found, that 
on five dates in 2001 Attorney Paget appeared as defense counsel 
in four Milwaukee County court cases, all involving the same 
client.  Further, the complaint alleged, and the referee so 
found, that on unspecified dates during the period of Attorney 
Paget's CLE suspension he appeared in five additional Milwaukee 
County Circuit Court cases involving three clients.   
¶6 
The referee found that discipline was necessary to 
prevent further misconduct by Attorney Paget, to insure that if 
he returns to the practice of law he will practice competently 
and ethically, to deter other attorneys from engaging in similar 
misconduct, and to foster Attorney Paget's rehabilitation by 
instilling in him appreciation for the consequences of violating 
the Rules of Professional Conduct.  The referee's opinion was 
that these goals could be achieved by the imposition of the 60-
day suspension recommended by the OLR.   
                                                                                                                                                             
lawyer. This notice shall advise the lawyer that the 
state 
bar 
membership 
of 
the 
lawyer 
shall 
be 
automatically suspended for failing to file evidence 
of compliance or to pay the late fee within 60 days 
after service of the notice. The board shall certify 
the names of all lawyers so suspended under this rule 
to the clerk of the supreme court and to each judge of 
a court of record in this state. A lawyer shall not 
engage in the practice of law in Wisconsin while his 
or her state bar membership is suspended under this 
rule. 
No. 
03-0159-D   
 
4 
 
¶7 
We adopt the findings of fact and conclusions of law 
of the referee.  Attorney Paget's misconduct represents a 
serious failure to comply with the Rules of Professional 
Conduct.  Furthermore, the referee's recommendation of a 
sanction is appropriate discipline for this conduct.  
¶8 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Attorney Walter A. 
Paget to practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of 
60 days, effective November 11, 2003. 
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Attorney Paget comply with 
the provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of an attorney 
whose license to practice law has been suspended. 
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date 
of this order Attorney Paget shall pay $927.35 to the OLR 
representing the costs of this proceeding.  If these costs are 
not paid within the time specified, and absent a showing to this 
court of an inability to pay the costs within that time, the 
license of Attorney Paget to practice law shall remain suspended 
indefinitely until further order of the court.   
No. 
03-0159-D   
 
 
 
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