Opinion ID: 1547486
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Nature and circumstances of misconduct

Text: Petitioner was suspended for violation of Rule 8.4(b), criminal conviction reflecting adversely on his fitness to practice law. Specifically, Petitioner was convicted on two counts of DWI, one count of eluding a police officer, and one count of hit and run. He was sentenced to 12 months on each of the counts, to run consecutively. There is little doubt that Petitioner's conduct was serious. Further, as the Hearing Committee noted, Petitioner's problems with the law have resulted from alcohol abuse. He has had seven arrests for DWI, and six convictions. The hit and run and eluding convictions were also alcohol-related, as have been his difficulties obeying court-ordered probation terms. But for the alcohol abuse, leading to the motor vehicle violations, Petitioner would not have been subjected to the disciplinary process. HC Rpt. at 4.