Didn't Know I Lost My License

Two stories this morning fit the proffered excuse, "I didn't know my license was suspended." 

The beleagured Ohio State Buckeye's football program which recently lost the services of its legendary head coach Jim Tressel, appears to be in danger of losing the services of its star quarterback, Terrelle Pryor who among other issues apparently did not know his driver's license was suspended. Pryor appeared at a team meeting driving his sports car (...and how did he get this snazzy Z350?) despite a license suspension for failure to produce liability insurance coverage require in Ohio after being stopped for speeding.  Pryor ignored multiple notices to respond to the citation. 

Then in Pittsburgh, reporter Vivian Nereim reports at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the lawyer who was practicing sans license.  Here's an excerpt for the Post-Gazette article:

"Charles Hoebler was found to be in civil contempt of court after a hearing this morning before Common Pleas Judge Randal Todd.

Mr. Hoebler's law license was suspended in April after he failed to keep up-to-date with Continuing Legal Education requirements. His license was reinstated earlier this month, but not before Mr. Hoebler represented Jermaine Williams, convicted of aggravated assault, at a sentencing May 9. Mr. Williams, who was sentenced to five to 10 years in prison, now must be re-sentenced.

Mr. Hoebler told the judge today that he did not realize his license was suspended at the time of the sentencing. His office was in disarray, and he had not opened the letter notifying him of the disciplinary action, he said."
________________________
Hoebler got off with a nominal fine.  But I imagine the Pa disciplinary police are going to have more to say about Mr. Hoebler's law license.  Admitting law office disarray is never a good excuse for failing to have a current law license.  Good luck with that.

Shame about that Ohio State football program.  It's quite a morality-play that we will have to talk about later.

Kill a Cyclist, Have Your Kansas Law License Suspended

The ABAJournal.com website links to this report in the Topeka Capital-Journal regarding the law license suspension of Marc A. Schultz.  Schultz, a Topeka lawyer, entered guilty pleas to charges in the  DUI vehicular homicide of Timothy Roberts, a 55 year old cyclist last September.  In addition to a .12 BAC, Schultz tested positive for marijuana and pain killers. 

Schultz's law license will temporarily go the way of his freedom.  Oh, one other thing, Schultz--he had 3 other DUI convictions over the last decade.

Georgia Judge, Inactive Law License, and Foul Mouth--Gets Reprimanded

The Georgia Judge, Kristina Cook Connelly Graham, daughter of famous Georgia Trial Attorney Bobby Lee Cook (purportedly the model for "Matlock," don't miss reading a terrific ABAJournal profile at the link), --was reprimanded in an Order of the Georgia Supreme Court.  Apparently Judge Choose-a-Last-Name is an arrogant and obnoxious jurist in person.  She is spectacularly disrespectful to other lawyers, law enforcement and public servants.  Not news, folks--this is pretty common.  What's not common is when the Judge lets his or her law license lapse and continues to act as a Judge! 

That's amazing!  What's really unusual is that the various states make it easy as pie for Judges to obtain their continuing legal education requirements while lawyers have to go to considerable  inconvenience.  Judges get paid while attending these "cle" classes.  Usually cle coursework is free to our public servants.  Lawyers on the other hand use their own time and money to get into compliance.  While you can see how someone could inadvertently let a deadline slip, in OurState, a computer kicks out your name and you are publically suspended unitl you pay a small penalty and bring yourself into compliance.  That this Georgia situation could happen really raises some startling issues--like:  are the matters for which Judge Choose-a-Last-Name issued orders, valid?  Five years! 

This made me reflect on double standards in OurTown.  Here there is a major courthouse named after a famous politician who ended his career on the local bench despite being busted on one or more occasions for shop-lifting.  There is also a Law School named after another famous lawyer/rainmaker who notably forgot to bring his license into compliance.  Some lawyers pay, some lawyers pay more, and some lawyers get buildings named after them.