Potts, 43, was sentenced Dec. 29 to three years of probation and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to felony grand theft, forgery, possession of cocaine and possession of heroin and misdemeanor falsification, endangering children and possession of drug paraphernalia on Nov. 17.
In its written order, the Ohio Supreme Court suspended Potts "from the practice of law for an interim period, effective as of the date of this entry (Feb. 13)."
Potts' case will be forwarded to a "disciplinary counsel" as part of the Supreme Court's Office of Attorney Discipline for further investigation and review.
"It is further ordered that respondent (Potts) immediately cease and desist from the practice of law in any form and that respondent is forbidden to appear on behalf of another before any court, judge, commission, board, administrative agency, or other public authority," the entry said.
Notice of Potts' convictions was filed with the Supreme Court of Ohio Clerk of Court Wednesday.
After Potts' sentencing hearing, assistant Richland County prosecutor Cliff Murphy said the Attorney Discipline Office will review Potts’ case in the coming weeks to determine what sanctions he could face for being convicted of a felony. These could be anywhere from an interim suspension to permanent disbarment.
"You have the public perception of lawyers being above the law, and we’re not,” Murphy said at the time.
Potts was arrested in August in connection to the theft of about $9,000 from a former client's trust account, which he admitted he took to sustain a drug habit.
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Tim Potts' law license suspended by Ohio Supreme Court
2 comments:
Suspended? He should be disbarred.
A suspension isn't punishment. Pott's license should be taken from him. Murphy was right and if Potts just gets a slap on the wrist, the judicial discipline committee is weak and ineffective.
"You have the public perception of lawyers being above the law, and we’re not,” Murphy said at the time.
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