Court Opinion

ID: 9691792
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 13:10:42.74406+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:19:13.415859
License: Public Domain

2023 WI 63

                  SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN
CASE NO.:              2023AP869-D

COMPLETE TITLE:        In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings
                       Against David V. Penn, Attorney at Law:

                       Office of Lawyer Regulation,
                                 Complainant,
                            v.
                       David V. Penn,
                                 Respondent.

                            DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PENN

OPINION FILED:         August 25, 2023
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS:
ORAL ARGUMENT:

SOURCE OF APPEAL:
   COURT:
   COUNTY:
   JUDGE:

JUSTICES:
Per curiam.

ATTORNEYS:
                                                                        2023 WI 63
                                                               NOTICE
                                                 This opinion is subject to further
                                                 editing and modification.   The final
                                                 version will appear in the bound
                                                 volume of the official reports.
No.   2023AP869-D

STATE OF WISCONSIN                           :            IN SUPREME COURT

In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings
Against David V. Penn, Attorney at Law:

Office of Lawyer Regulation,                                        FILED
            Complainant,                                       AUG 25, 2023
      v.                                                        Samuel A. Christensen
                                                               Clerk of Supreme Court
David V. Penn,

            Respondent.

      The Court entered the following order on this date:

      ¶1    Attorney David V. Penn was admitted to the practice of

law   in    Wisconsin   in   1986   and     practices       law    in     northern

Wisconsin.      In   1996,   this   court    suspended        Attorney       Penn's

license to practice law for two years based on his drug use and

multiple violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for

Attorneys while he was serving as the Vilas County District

Attorney.     In re Disciplinary Proc. Against Penn, 201 Wis. 2d

405, 407, 548 N.W.2d 526 (1996).             Attorney Penn's license to
                                                                          No.    2023AP869-D

practice law was reinstated in 2002.                         In re Disciplinary Proc.

Against Penn, 2002 WI 5, 249 Wis. 2d 667, 638 N.W.2d 287.

      ¶2        On    February      21,     2023,     this    court    issued     an   order

temporarily suspending Attorney Penn's license to practice law

after concluding that his continued practice of law posed a

threat to the interests of the public and the administration of

justice under Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.21(1).1                               See OLR v.

Penn,      2023XX16-D       (Feb.     21,      2023   Order,    as     amended    Feb.    27,

2023).

      ¶3        On May 17, 2023, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR)

filed      a    petition,        pursuant       to    SCR    22.34,2    requesting       that

Attorney Penn be found to have a medical incapacity and that the

court indefinitely suspend Attorney Penn's license to practice

law   in       Wisconsin.        On     July    19,   2023,    before     a   referee     was

appointed,           the   OLR    and     Attorney      Penn    filed     a     stipulation

pursuant to SCR 22.34(10).3                     Both the OLR and Attorney Penn

      1   SCR 22.21(1) provides:

      The supreme court, on its own motion, upon the motion
      of the director, or upon the motion of a special
      investigator acting under SCR 22.25, may suspend
      temporarily an attorney's license to practice law
      where it appears that the attorney's continued
      practice of law poses a threat to the interests of the
      public and the administration of justice.
      2SCR 22.34 governs medical incapacity proceedings.     SCR
22.001(8) defines "medical incapacity" as a "physical, mental,
emotional, social or behavioral condition that is recognized by
experts in medicine or psychology as a principal factor which
substantially prevents a person from performing the duties of an
attorney to acceptable professional standards."
      3   SCR 22.34(10) provides, in pertinent part:

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                                                                                No.      2023AP869-D

"jointly request the Court impose an indefinite suspension on

Penn's license to practice law in Wisconsin."                                     Attorney Penn

"stipulates to all of the facts alleged and set forth in the

Petition        .    .   .    .    [and]    agrees      that    the     Court      may    use   the

allegations of the Petition as an adequate factual basis in the

record     for       a     determination       that      he    suffers       from     a    medical

incapacity."             The parties "agree that the appropriate remedy is

an indefinite suspension of his Wisconsin law license."

      ¶4        The parties represent that the stipulation is not the

result     of       plea     bargaining      and       that    "[i]t    instead       represents

Penn's     admission          of    a   medical        incapacity       that      substantially

prevents        him      from      performing      the       duties    of    an    attorney      to

acceptable          professional           standards."           Attorney         Penn     further

represents and verifies that he fully understands his right to

contest the OLR's allegations of medical incapacity, to see and

cross-examine witnesses called by the OLR, to call witnesses and

present testimony and evidence on his own behalf, to require the

OLR   to    prove            its    allegations         by     clear,       satisfactory        and
convincing evidence, and to make arguments to the referee that

the OLR has failed to meet its burden of proof.                                   Attorney Penn

further avers that he understands the ramifications of his entry

      The petition may be accompanied by a stipulation of
      the director and the respondent to a suspension or to
      the imposition of conditions on the respondent's
      practice of law.   The supreme court may consider the
      petition and stipulation without the appointment of a
      referee.     If   the  supreme   court  approves  the
      stipulation, it shall issue an order consistent with
      the stipulation. . . .

                                                   3
                                                          No.    2023AP869-D

into the stipulation, that he has the right to consult counsel,

and that his entry into the stipulation is made knowingly and

voluntarily.

    ¶5     Having reviewed the record in this matter, the court

approves and adopts the parties' stipulation pursuant to SCR

22.34(10).     The court finds that Attorney Penn currently suffers

from a medical incapacity that substantially prevents him from

performing the duties of an attorney to acceptable professional

standards.

    ¶6     IT IS ORDERED that the petition is granted.

    ¶7     IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Attorney David V. Penn's

license to practice law is indefinitely suspended, effective the

date of this order.

    ¶8     IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that because this matter was

resolved by stipulation without the need for appointment of a

referee,     no   costs   are   imposed   relating   to   this     medical

incapacity proceeding.

    ¶9     IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not
already done so, Attorney David V. Penn shall comply with the

provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person whose

license to practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended.

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    No.   2023AP869-D

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