Opinion ID: 1871835
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: COUNT V: SCR 20:8.4(c)

Text: ¶ 54. The last count of the disciplinary complaint, Count V, charges that Attorney Alia violated SCR 20:8.4(c), which provides that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. The referee concludes the OLR met its burden of proof with respect to Count V in three ways. First, Attorney Alia induced the appraiser to authenticate a report that Attorney Alia knew was not in fact an accurate copy of his report. Second, Attorney Alia falsely accused Attorney Olson and/or his client of fabricating exhibit 24 from other unidentified documents that had been solely in Attorney Alia's possession and about which Attorney Olson had no knowledge. Third, Attorney Alia accused Attorney Olson of being untruthful with the court. ¶ 55. This opinion has already discussed Attorney Alia's inducement of false testimony and need not repeat the discussion here. Also, we have previously noted the record supports the referee's determination that there was no basis for any accusation against Attorney Olson. Because eliciting false testimony and making baseless accusations against opposing counsel that he fabricated evidence and was untruthful with the court is dishonest and deceitful, this conduct provides a basis for a violation of SCR 20:8.4(c). Consequently, we do not overturn the referee's determination that the OLR met its burden of proof with respect to Count V.