A Baton Rouge legal professional who has been training legislation since 1991 and has 4 DWI arrests since 1981 — three of them since 1992 — has been suspended for the third time for skilled misconduct.
This time, the Louisiana Supreme Court docket stated Donald Dobbins, who not too long ago ran for a Metropolis Court docket seat, should present “that any alcohol abuse points have been addressed” earlier than any software for reinstatement might be thought of.
The excessive courtroom on Thursday suspended Dobbins for 3 years, retroactive to his January 2020 suspension. He was suspended at the moment for a yr and a day, however as of final week, the justices stated he had not been reinstated and remained suspended.
Dobbins was first suspended in 2002 for a yr, with six months deferred, adopted by one yr of probation for commingling and changing shopper funds, in keeping with the Supreme Court docket’s most up-to-date suspension order.
His 2020 suspension was for failing to supply competent illustration to purchasers; neglecting authorized issues; failing to speak with purchasers; failing to refund unearned charges and unused prices; failing to correctly supervise his non-lawyer workers, leading to false affidavits being filed within the courtroom document; failing to scale back a contingency charge settlement to writing; forging shopper signatures on settlement checks; and failing to position disputed funds in his belief account.
The justices final yr ordered Dobbins to pay a mixed $4,440 in restitution to 2 former purchasers.
In suspending Dobbins final week, the Supreme Court docket stated he has been arrested for DWI on a number of events and likewise failed to supply competent illustration to a shopper, uncared for a authorized matter, did not adequately talk with a shopper, and did not account for and/or refund an unearned charge.
Dobbins, the courtroom stated, denied any misconduct and argued that the formal disciplinary prices ought to be dismissed or, at most, a public reprimand imposed.
The justices discovered {that a} three-year suspension, retroactive to his January 2020 suspension, is an “applicable sanction.” In addition they ordered him to make full restitution of all unearned charges.
Dobbins couldn’t be reached for remark Tuesday.
Dobbins was arrested in 2016 and charged with rushing, reckless operation and DWI — his fourth DWI arrest since 1981. The fees have been dismissed in 2019 as a result of one of many officers couldn’t seem in courtroom when he was scheduled to testify, the excessive courtroom stated.
Following his 2016 arrest, nonetheless, Dobbins agreed to be evaluated by way of the Judges and Legal professionals Help Program, or JLAP. The outcomes of the analysis have been inconclusive as as to if he might be recognized with a substance use dysfunction, the justices famous, and he was referred for an inpatient multi-disciplinary analysis at a JLAP-approved facility.
Dobbins “has refused to undergo the inpatient analysis,” the courtroom stated.
His 1981 DWI arrest resulted in a responsible plea to that cost the identical yr, the Supreme Court docket stated. After a 1992 arrest for DWI and careless driving, he pleaded responsible to careless driving, and the DWI cost was dismissed by a prosecutor. DWI and reckless operation prices from a 2010 arrest additionally have been dismissed by a prosecutor in 2014.
Dobbins’ 2020 suspension got here three weeks after he certified to run for a vacant Baton Rouge Metropolis Court docket seat. He remained within the race and on the poll regardless of the suspension. Johnell Matthews received the seat.
