Opinion ID: 2333663
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Recommendation of the Character and Fitness Committee

Text: In its Recommendation, the Character and Fitness Committee (Committee) found that Scholl has complied with the provisions of this Court's Suspension Order dated June 13, 1985, which had incorporated SCR 3.390, requiring Scholl to notify all courts in which he had matters pending and all clients for whom he was actively involved in legal matters of his suspension and his inability to continue to represent clients. The Committee also found that Scholl had completed the requisite number of CLE courses to satisfy the requirements for reinstatement at the time he filed his application for reinstatement in 2004 and that Scholl has demonstrated a degree of professional capability through his involvement with the Henry Penner Foundation [1] and his compliance with regulatory requirements for over-the-road truck driving. [2] Despite these findings, the Committee voiced concern that in over a twenty year period of time, Mr. Scholl has not been able to devise a method and follow through with his alleged intentions to repay the former clients he injured financially. The Committee felt that such a remedy should occur before any individual seeks to reenter the practice of law. Moreover, the Committee found that, although Scholl's involvement with the Penner Foundation is a positive factor in assessing his moral character, it was nonetheless troubled by the fact that Scholl has admitted to being financially stable for several years, but has yet to repay his former clients the money he took from them. Furthermore, the Committee was not persuaded by Scholl's claim that he needed a structured mechanism in order to repay his former clients. Thus, the Committee concluded that Scholl is not worthy of public trust and confidence while he refuses or neglects the issue of repaying former clients. The Committee was also troubled by allegations that Scholl was or is not current in his child support obligations on behalf of his only biological child, Ian Scholl. Although the Committee notes that Scholl alleges some direct payments to Ian Scholl's mother, some payments through an attorney, and some in-kind payments, the Committee nonetheless notes that Scholl does not appear concerned about whether he has fulfilled his legal and moral obligations to support his child and cannot state whether or not he is, or ever has been, current on this obligation. In particular, the Committee found that Scholl has given complete discretion to Ian's mother concerning whether or not Ian should be included in distributions from a trust, which was created by Scholl to benefit himself, Ian, and two step-daughters. Pursuant to SCR 2.300(6)(e), the Committee found that, although Scholl expressed a degree of remorse for his actions and recognized that his actions were wrong, Scholl has yet to provide any evidence of restitution. Further, the Committee concluded that Scholl has not been completely candid at all times during the reinstatement proceedings. As evidence, the Committee points to Scholl's testimony wherein he mentioned the trust he created in 1988 with only the three children as beneficiaries. Yet, on cross-examination it was discovered that Scholl is also a beneficiary of that trust. Thus, Scholl has not shown the Committee, or this Court, that he has been rehabilitated in the area of fiscal responsibility.