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Jeffrey J. Duggan (WSBA No. 18382, admitted 1988), of Kealakekua, HI, was ordered to receive a reprimand, effective August 31, 2004, by order of the Washington State Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline based on an order of the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court. This discipline was based on his conduct between 1999 and 2002 involving making false statements and failing to correct misapprehensions known to have arisen in connection with applications for bar admission.
In November 1999, Mr. Duggan applied for admission to the Hawaii State Bar Association. In the signed and notarized application, Mr. Duggan represented that he had read the application and the required forms; that all questions had been answered candidly, fully, frankly, and truthfully; and that the answers were complete and true to the best of his knowledge. He further represented under oath that he understood that the application was of a continuing nature and that he would notify the Board of Examiners of the Hawaii Supreme Court in writing of any change in the information.
In responding to three application questions, Mr. Duggan failed to disclose material information or provided false answers.
In November 2000, Mr. Duggan again applied for admission to the Hawaii State Bar Association. Except for the signature page, the November 2000 application was a duplicate of the November 1999 application.
In May 2001, Mr. Duggan again applied for admission to the Hawaii State Bar Association. Except for the signature page, the May 2001 application was a duplicate of the November 1999 application.
In August 2001, while the May 2001 application was pending, Mr. Duggan was arrested. In December 2001, the charge was dismissed with prejudice. Although the information regarding his August 2001 arrest was pertinent to one of the application questions and should have been provided as supplemental information, Mr. Duggan failed to supplement his pending application with that information.
Having passed Hawaii’s June 2001 bar examination, Mr. Duggan was admitted to the practice of law in the state of Hawaii on January 25, 2002.
Mr. Duggan’s conduct violated Hawaii Rule of Professional Conduct (HRPC) 8.1(a), prohibiting an applicant for bar admission from knowingly making a false statement of material fact; HRPC 8.1(b), prohibiting an applicant for bar admission from failing to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known to have arisen in the matter; HRPC 8.4(c), prohibiting a lawyer from engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; and HRPC 8.4(a), designating as professional misconduct a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Christine Gray represented the Bar Association. Mr. Duggan represented himself. |