Court Opinion

ID: 9901555
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-22 00:06:02.891078+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:21:34.876761
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL                                            11/21/2023

          IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                  Case Number: PR 23-0536

                                       PR 23-0536
                                                                F] FED
                                                                NOV 2 1 2023
 IN THE MATTER OF MARIBETH M. HANSON,                         Bowen   Greenwood
                                                            Clerk eT ,Thtrerne Court.
                                                               state of Montana
       An Attorney at Law,                                            ORDER

              Respondent

       On September 18, 2023, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) filed a Petition
for Reciprocal Discipline of Montana attorney Maribeth M. Hanson, pursuant to Rule 27A
of the Montana Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement (MRLDE). ODC provided the
Court with a certified copy of an April 17, 2023 Disbarment Order of the Supreme Court
of the State of Washington, affirming a disciplinary order disbarring Hanson from the
practice of law in Washington.
       Pursuant to MRLDE 27B, we granted Hanson until October 20, 2023, in which to
advise this Court of any claim predicated upon the grounds set forth in MRLDE 27D as to
why discipline identical to that imposed in Washington should not also be imposed in
Montana. Hanson did not file a response within the time allowed.
       We have now reviewed this matter and we conclude there is no basis for exception
from the general rule of imposition of identical discipline. We firther note that Hanson is
currently suspended from the practice of law, and as such, we need not delay the effective
date of disbarment as Hanson would have no clients or co-counsel in any pending matters
in Montana.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Maribeth M. Hanson is disbarred from the
practice of law in Montana, effective from the date of this Order.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Hanson shall pay the costs of these proceedings,
subject to the provisions of MRLDE 9C(4)(a) allowing her to file objections to the
statement of costs.
       The Clerk of this Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order of Discipline upon
Maribeth Hanson, and to provide copies to Disciplinary Counsel; the Office Administrator
for the Commission on Practice; the Clerks of all the District Courts of the State of
Montana; each District Judge in the State of Montana; the Clerk of the Federal District
Court for the District of Montana; the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Appeals of the Ninth
Circuit; and the Executive Director of the State Bar of Montana.
                          s-f-
       DATED this "C t Tay of November, 2023.

                                                              Chief Justice

                                                                   Justices

                                            2