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James A. Graettinger (WSBA No. 14975, admitted 1985), formerly of Wenatchee, has been disbarred pursuant to a stipulation for discipline approved by the Supreme Court effective September 11, 1998. In the stipulation, Mr. Graettinger admitted he had knowingly forged the signature of a U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge.
In October 1997, the United States Attorney’s Office filed a one-count information in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Washington charging Graettinger with the felony crime of forging a Federal Judicial Officer’s signature, 18 U.S.C. §505. He pled guilty and was sentenced to three years’ probation, 150 hours of community service, and agreed to pay $5,448 in restitution to certain persons.
In the stipulation, Graettinger also admitted that he had deceived clients about the status of their cases; had created fictitious documents containing forged signatures and/or the letterhead of a Bankruptcy Judge, a Superior Court Judge, a Superior Court Commissioner, an opposing party and an opposing counsel; and that he had failed to diligently pursue clients’ cases.
Graettinger stipulated that the Bar Association had sufficient evidence to meet its burden of proving by a clear preponderance that his conduct violated RPC 1.3 (lack of reasonable diligence); RPC 1.4 (duty to keep client reasonably informed); RPC 8.4(b), which prohibits a lawyer from engaging in a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty or trustworthiness; RPC 8.4(c), which prohibits a lawyer from engaging in acts involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; RPC 8.4(d) (engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice); and RLD 1.1(a), which prohibits a lawyer from committing acts which involve moral turpitude or which reflect disregard for the rule of law. He also stipulated that the Bar Association had sufficient evidence to meet its burden of proving that he violated RLD 1.1(p) by engaging in conduct demonstrating unfitness to practice law.
Erik S. Bakke of Wenatchee represented Graettinger. Disciplinary Counsel Leslie Ching Allen represented the Bar Association.
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