Court Opinion

ID: 9379211
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-14 23:05:47.117954+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:51.584506
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL                                          03/14/2023

           IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                 Case Number: PR 06-0544

                                        PR 06-0544                           FILED
                                                                             MAR 1 4 2023
                                                                          Bowen Greenwood
 IN RE PETITION OF ERIK SCHMIDT FOR                                     Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                      O     lyteftfMontana
 REINSTATEMENT TO ACTIVE STATUS IN                                      R
 THE BAR OF MONTANA

       Erik Schmidt, whose address is Untereggen, Switzerland, has petitioned this Court
for reinstatement to active status in the State Bar of Montana. According to the Petition,
Petitioner was admitted to the State Bar of Montana on May 3, 2005, voluntarily chose
inactive status on June 29, 2009, and was suspended on June 13, 2019 for nonpayment of
dues. Section 4(e)(ii) of the By-Laws of the State Bar of Montana provides, "in the case
of any lawyer whose membership dues or assessments are in arrears for a period of three
or more consecutive years, no application for reinstatement may be granted unless ordered
by the Montana Supreme Court."            Thus, Petitioner has petitioned the Court for
reinstatement.
       Further, Petitioner has been on inactive status for over five years. It is the Court's
practice in such cases, given the amount of time since Petitioner has been on active status,
to require a character and fitness review and the completion of continuing education.
       IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Petitioner shall submit to an investigation by the
Commission on Character and Fitness. Petitioner shall comply with the character and
fitness process and timely produce information and documentation as requested by the
Commission.      The Commission will investigate Petitioner's character and fitness in
accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Commission on Character and Fitness. The
Commission may, in its discretion, conduct a limited investigation. The Commission will
advise the Court whether the Petitioner has been certified, conditionally certified, or denied
certification. If the Commission denies certification, the Commission will issue written
findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a decision pursuant to Section 5(c)(6) of the Rules
of Procedure of the Commission on Character and Fitness. If the Petitioner is certified or
conditionally certified by the Commission on Character and Fitness, the Petitioner shall be
admitted to the active practice of law in Montana upon payment of appropriate dues and
fees and penalties to the State Bar of Montana.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, if admitted, within six months of admission to
the active practice of law, Petitioner shall submit to the Board of Continuing Legal
Education, P.O. Box 577, Helena, MT 59624, proof of attendance at thirty hours of
approved Continuing Legal Education to be credited to the time Petitioner was on inactive
status. This may include approved credits previously obtained by Petitioner during the last
two years, if any.
       The Clerk is directed to provide copies of this order to the Petitioner and the State
Bar of Montana.
       DATED this } 1-\   day of March, 2023.

                                                               Chief Justice

                                                                  Justices
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