In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against John Miller Carroll, Attorney at Law. Board of Attorneys…

Summary

In this per curiam disciplinary decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court adopted a referee's findings that Attorney John Miller Carroll committed seven counts of professional misconduct involving four clients — including trust account violations, lack of diligence, failure to keep a client informed, failure to cooperate with the Board's investigation, and dishonesty — but rejected her finding on an eighth count, concluding that Carroll's months-long failure to deliver a refund check while ignoring the client's inquiries violated SCR 20:1.16(d). Exercising its non-deferential responsibility to impose discipline and applying the Charlton factors, the court increased the referee's recommended six-month suspension to a one-year suspension, citing Carroll's pattern of deception and misdealing with clients, his three prior reprimands (two private, one public), and the need to protect the public and deter other attorneys. The court also ordered Carroll to pay $11,433.77 in costs and, as a condition of reinstatement, to make $184 restitution to client H.H.