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S. Charles Sprinkle (WSBA No. 16090, admitted 1986) of Libby, Montana, has been ordered suspended for six months, commencing May 19, 1998, by order of the Supreme Court of Washington. The Supreme Court’s order of reciprocal discipline, pursuant to Rule for Lawyer Discipline (RLD) 12.6, is based on the Montana Supreme Court’s February 3, 1998 order adopting the recommendation of the Montana Commission on Practice, and accepting the six-month suspension agreed to in Sprinkle’s January 5, 1998 Affidavit of Consent.
All relevant acts took place in Montana. Sprinkle was convicted of domestic abuse and disorderly conduct after entering pleas of guilty. The acts supporting these convictions occurred while he was the Lincoln County Attorney for the State of Montana. The acts involving the disorderly conduct conviction occurred while the deferred imposition of his sentence for the domestic abuse conviction was in effect. The disorderly conduct also resulted in personal injury to another person, and occurred while he was under the influence of alcohol.
After pleading guilty to the disorderly conduct that caused physical injury to another person, the Montana District Court revoked the deferred imposition of Sprinkle’s domestic abuse sentence. He was sentenced to a one-year suspended sentence on the condition that he resign the office of Lincoln County Attorney. As a result of these criminal convictions, he served 10 days in jail, paid a $1,000 fine, and was required to serve a year of supervised probation.
Sprinkle’s actions violated Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(b) (commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects); and RPC 8.4(d) (engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice).
On March 2, 1998, the Washington State Bar Association (the "Association") provided the Washington Supreme Court with certified copies of the Montana Supreme Court Order imposing discipline on Sprinkle and his affidavit of consent, and asked the Court to issue an appropriate reciprocal discipline order pursuant to RLD 12.6. Thereafter, the issues were briefed. The Washington Supreme Court considered en banc the reciprocal discipline matter, and imposed the reciprocal discipline.
Respondent represented himself pro se. The Association was represented by Disciplinary Counsel Leslie Ching Allen.
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