From Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush's Order Approving Statement of Circumstances and Conditional Agreement for Discipline in yesterday's In the Matter of Wruble:
Stipulated Facts: Respondent represented "Client" in a matter in St. Joseph County. The parties reached an agreement, and the case was dismissed after Client fulfilled the conditions of the agreement. Client later left a one-star review of Respondent's law firm on Google in which Client complained of difficulties communicating with Respondent.
Respondent then made multiple demands, using derogatory and profane language, that Client remove the review. When Client refused, Respondent posted a public response to the Google review in which he revealed damaging information about Client relating to the subject of the representation. Respondent revealed similar damaging information in a defamation lawsuit he filed against Client in Marion County. This lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice on Respondent's motion in January 2024.
Violations: The parties agree that Respondent violated Indiana Professional Conduct Rule 1.9(c) by impermissibly revealing information relating to the representation and Admission and Discipline Rule 22 (Oath of Attorneys) by acting in an offensive manner.
Discipline: The Court, having considered the submission of the parties, now approves the following agreed discipline.
For Respondent's professional misconduct, the Court suspends Respondent from the practice of law for a period of 30 days, beginning on the date of this order, all stayed subject to completion of at least 18 months of probation with JLAP [Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program] monitoring[, including] "attend[ing] certified anger management therapy and follow all recommendations therefrom."
Justice Geoffrey Slaughter concurred in part and dissented in part, as to the "offensive personality" point:
