Felony Rape Draws Bar Sanction

The Idaho Supreme Court accepted an attorney's resignation in lieu of disciplinary proceedings

On March 8, 2023, Mr. Schossberger was charged in Ada County with three criminal counts including one count of felony rape. Respondent pleaded not guilty to the charges. On June 27, 2024, Respondent was found guilty of felony rape after a jury trial. He was sentenced to 20 years ( 6. 5 years fixed) in prison and ordered to pay restitution. In the resulting disciplinary case, Mr. Schossberger admitted that the conduct for which he was convicted violated I. R. P. C. 8. 4( b) [ Committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer' s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects] and agreed to resign his license in lieu of disciplinary proceedings.

The Idaho Supreme Court accepted Mr. Schossberger' s resignation in lieu of disciplinary proceedings. By the terms of the Order, Mr. Schossberger may not apply for admission to the Idaho State Bar sooner than five ( 5) years from the date of his resignation. If he does apply for admission after five ( 5) years, he will be required to comply with all the bar admission requirements in Section II of the Idaho Bar Commission Rules and shall have the burden of overcoming the rebuttable presumption of the " unfitness to practice law."

Idaho News reported on the conviction

 According to a recent news release, 53-year-old Steven Schossberger of Eagle was sentenced to prison on Thursday for raping a woman inside of his vehicle in March 2023.

In June, an Ada County jury convicted the defendant of rape. Schossberger went to a local restaurant where he met the victim and conversed with her. The defendant did not know the victim before the criminal conduct occurred inside his vehicle.

Ada County District Judge Annie McDevitt, who presided over the trial, sentenced the defendant to a 20-year sentence, with six-and-a-half years fixed before being eligible for parole.

Judge McDevitt considered the required sentencing factors and determined a prison sentence was appropriate. Judge McDevitt also imposed a No Contact Order prohibiting the defendant from contacting the victim for 40 years.

(Mike Frisch)