Court Opinion

ID: 9648282
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:12:36.268306+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:03.127409
License: Public Domain

2023 WI 62

              SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN
CASE NO.:              2023AP1144-D

COMPLETE TITLE:        In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings
                       Against Jeffrey L. Murrell., Attorney at Law:

                       Office of Lawyer Regulation,
                                 Complainant,
                            v.
                       Jeffrey L. Murrell,
                                 Respondent.

                           DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MURRELL

OPINION FILED:         August 23, 2023
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS:
ORAL ARGUMENT:

SOURCE OF APPEAL:
   COURT:
   COUNTY:
   JUDGE:

JUSTICES:
Per curiam.

ATTORNEYS:
                                                                          2023 WI 62
                                                                  NOTICE
                                                    This opinion is subject to further
                                                    editing and modification.   The final
                                                    version will appear in the bound
                                                    volume of the official reports.
No.   2023AP1144-D

STATE OF WISCONSIN                              :             IN SUPREME COURT

In the Matter of Medical Incapacity Proceedings
Against Jeffrey L. Murrell, Attorney at Law:

                                                                       FILED
Office of Lawyer Regulation,
                                                                  AUG 23, 2023
             Complainant,
                                                                   Samuel A. Christensen
      v.                                                          Clerk of Supreme Court

Jeffrey L. Murrell,

             Respondent.

      The Court entered the following order on this date:

      ¶1     Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell was admitted to practice

law in Wisconsin in 1995 and practices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

      ¶2     On   June   29,    2023,   the   Office     of   Lawyer      Regulation

(OLR) filed a petition, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR)

22.34,     requesting    that    Attorney     Murrell    be    found     to   have     a

medical     incapacity    and    that   the    court    impose      conditions        on

Attorney Murrell's continued practice of law in Wisconsin.                          See

SCR 22.34.
                                                                       No.     2023AP1144-D

      ¶3        The petition was accompanied by a stipulation executed

by   OLR   and        Attorney    Murrell.        In   the    stipulation,       Attorney

Murrell acknowledges that he suffers from a medical incapacity

that at times substantially prevents him from performing the

duties     of    an     attorney    to   acceptable         professional      standards.

Attorney Murrell admits that each of the factual allegations in

OLR's petition is true and accurate.

      ¶4        The    parties     jointly       recommend     that       conditions    be

imposed on Attorney Murrell's practice of law, requiring him to:

      a. Enter into a contract with the Wisconsin Lawyer
         Assistance Program (WisLAP) to participate in its
         monitoring program for a period of three years;

      b. Obtain follow-up care with his                            mental     health
         providers as recommended by WisLAP;

      c. Immediately self-report to OLR any police contact,
         arrests, or criminal charges; and

      d. Arrange repayment of the $6,500 that the Wisconsin
         Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection paid to M.K. to
         reimburse her for the advance fee that she paid to
         Attorney Murrell to represent her son.
      ¶5        In the stipulation, Attorney Murrell represents and
verifies that he fully understands his right to contest OLR's

allegations       of     medical    incapacity,        to    see    and     cross-examine

witnesses called by OLR, to call witnesses and present testimony

and evidence on his own behalf, to require OLR to prove its

allegations by clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence, and

to make arguments to the referee that OLR has failed to meet its

burden     of    proof.          Attorney    Murrell        further    avers     that   he
understands the ramifications of his entry into the stipulation;

                                             2
                                                              No.    2023AP1144-D

that he has the right to consult counsel; and that his entry

into the stipulation is made knowingly and voluntarily.                        The

parties also state that the stipulation is not the result of a

plea    bargain,      but     instead     represents     Attorney     Murrell's

admission of a medical incapacity that substantially prevents

him from performing the duties of an attorney to acceptable

professional standards and his agreement to the conditions on

his practice of law recommended by OLR.

       ¶6     The    stipulation further provides that, in the event

OLR    determines that Attorney Murrell has failed to comply with

the WisLAP monitoring condition, OLR may petition this court for

a summary and immediate suspension of Attorney Murrell's license

to practice law pending any further investigation or proceedings

that   may    be    necessary   under     the   circumstances,      and   if   OLR

determines that Attorney Murrell has failed to comply with the

other conditions set forth above, OLR may seek the issuance of

an    order   to    show    cause   why   Attorney     Murrell's    license     to

practice law should not be summarily suspended.

                                          3
                                                           No.    2023AP1144-D

       ¶7     Based on the parties' stipulation, which this court

approves and adopts pursuant to SCR 22.34(10),1 the court finds

that       Attorney    Murrell   currently   suffers     from     a     medical

incapacity      that    at   times   substantially     prevents       him   from

performing the duties of an attorney to acceptable professional

standards.

       ¶8     IT IS ORDERED that the petition is granted.

       ¶9     IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the following conditions

shall be imposed on Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell's practice of

law:

       a. Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell shall enter into a
          contract   with  WisLAP   to   participate   in its
          monitoring program for a period of three years;

       b. Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell shall obtain follow-up
          care with his mental health providers as recommended
          by WisLAP;

       SCR 22.34 (10) provides: "The petition may be accompanied
       1

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 rejects the stipulation, it shall
issue an order consistent with the stipulation. If the supreme
court rejects the stipulation, an available referee shall be
selected from the panel provided in SCR 21.08, based on the
location of the respondent's place of residence.        The chief
justice or, in his or her absence, the chief justice's delegee
shall issue an order appointing the referee, and the matter
shall proceed as a petition filed without a stipulation.        A
stipulation rejected by the supreme court has no evidentiary
value and is without prejudice to the respondent's defense of
the proceeding or the prosecution of the petition."

                                      4
                                                              No.     2023AP1144-D

     c. Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell shall immediately self-
        report to OLR any police contact, arrests, or
        criminal charges; and

     d. Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell shall arrange repayment
        of the $6,500 that the Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for
        Client Protection paid to M.K. to reimburse her for
        the advance fee that she paid to Attorney Murrell to
        represent her son.
     ¶10    IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that in the event OLR determines

that Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell has failed to comply with the

WisLAP monitoring condition, OLR may petition this court for a

summary     and   immediate      suspension    of   Attorney        Jeffrey   Lee

Murrell's     license       to   practice     law   pending     any      further

investigation or proceedings that may be necessary under the

circumstances, and if OLR determines that Attorney Jeffrey Lee

Murrell has failed to comply with the other conditions set forth

above, OLR may seek the issuance of an order to show cause why

Attorney Jeffrey Lee Murrell's license to practice law should

not be summarily suspended.

     ¶11    IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no costs shall be imposed

on   Attorney     Jeffrey    Lee   Murrell    relating   to     this     medical

incapacity proceeding.

                                       5
    No.   2023AP1144-D

1