MEMBERS JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH CHAIRPERSON MICHAEL B. RIZIK, JR. VICE-CHAIRPERSON BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY SECRETARY KAREN D. O’DONOGHUE LINDA S. HOTCHKISS, MD
MICHAEL S. HOHAUSER PETER A. SMIT ALAN GERSHEL LINDA M. ORLANS
STATE OF MICHIGAN ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
333 WEST FORT STREET, SUITE 1700
MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR — KAREN M. DALEY ASSOCIATE COUNSEL — SHERRY MIFSUD OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR —
ALLYSON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER OWEN R. MONTGOMERY CASE MANAGER — JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY —
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226-3147
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NOTICE OF DISBARMENT AND RESTITUTION Case No. 20-81-GA Notice Issued: May 12, 2021 Trevor S. Sexton, P 79077, Port Huron, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board St. Clair County Hearing Panel #1.
Disbarment - Effective May 12, 2021 After proceedings conducted pursuant to MCR 9.115, the panel found, by default, that respondent committed professional misconduct as charged in a three-count formal complaint. Count One of the complaint alleged that respondent committed professional misconduct during his representation of a client in a divorce matter. Specifically, it was alleged that respondent presented his client with a fraudulent divorce judgment when, in reality, the matter had been dismissed for non-service/no progress. Respondent never advised his client that she was not divorced or that her complaint had been dismissed, and let her believe that she was in fact divorced. Counts Two and Three of the complaint alleged that respondent failed to answer two separate requests for investigation.
The panel specifically found that respondent neglected a legal matter, in violation of MRPC 1.1(c); failed to seek the lawful objectives of the client, in violation of MRPC 1.2(a); failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, in violation of MRPC 1.3; failed to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter, in violation of MRPC 1.4(a); knowingly failed to timely respond to a lawful demand for information from a disciplinary authority, in violation of MRPC 8.1(a)(2); engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or violation of the criminal law, where such conduct reflected adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer, in violation of MRPC 8.4(b); engaged in conduct that was contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals, in violation of MCR 9.104(3); and failed to timely answer a Request for Investigation, in violation of MCR 9.104(7) and MCR 9.113(A) and (B)(2). Respondent was also found to have violated MCR 9.104(1), (2) and (4); and MRPC 8.4(a) and (c).
The panel ordered that respondent be disbarred from the practice of law and that he pay restitution in the total amount of $1,000.00. Total costs were assessed in the amount of $1,720.34.