No Private Sanction

The Rhode Island Supreme Court has ordered a public censure of an attorney without pled nolo contendere to charges arising from a motor vehicle accident.

The charges  involved two felony counts of leaving the accident scene and a misdemeanor driving under the influence of liqour. He was sentenced to probation in the criminal case.

The court noted that the attorney had asked for private discipline. In the court's view, the case was "very similar" to one decided in 2011 in which a public censure was imposed: "We see no reason to impose a lesser sanction in this case." (Mike Frisch)