The practice of law requires not only competence and diligence but also an unwavering commitment to honesty with clients and the court. For Iowa and Illinois attorney Lori Jo Kieffer-Garrison, a sustained pattern of neglect and outright deception led to multiple sanctions, culminating in an indefinite suspension of her license.
Kieffer-Garrison’s disciplinary history reveals a practitioner who repeatedly failed to meet the most basic professional standards, jeopardizing her clients’ rights and compromising the integrity of the judicial process.
A Pattern of Neglect and Default (2014 Suspension)
Kieffer-Garrison’s first major public disciplinary action in 2014 resulted from a systemic breakdown in her appellate practice.
- Serial Deadlines Missed: In nine separate criminal case appeals, she repeatedly failed to comply with filing deadlines.
- Twenty Notices of Default: As a direct consequence, she received more than twenty notices of default from the court clerk and failed to pay the resulting monetary penalties in a timely fashion.
- Deception: She falsely represented to both her client, Anthony McGee, and the clerk of the court that she had timely filed an application for further review in a postconviction appeal—a filing that was later found to have been prepared and mailed after she was notified of the default and ethical complaint.
The Iowa Supreme Court found these actions violated several rules, including the requirement that a lawyer act with reasonable diligence (Rule 32:1.3) and not knowingly make a false statement of fact to a tribunal (Rule 32:3.3(a)(1)). She was suspended for six months in Iowa, with Illinois imposing reciprocal discipline.
The Ultimate Breach of Trust: Falsifying a Client’s Signature (2020 Suspension)
Despite the 2014 suspension and prior private admonitions for similar misconduct, Kieffer-Garrison’s ethical violations escalated. The 2020 action centered on her representation of a client, Johnson, in a criminal matter.
- Falsified Signature: She falsified her client’s signature on a written arraignment form and then filed the form with the court.
- Waiver Without Consent: She waived the client’s preliminary hearing and his right to a speedy trial without ever consulting him or communicating his rights and options.
- Lying to the Court: When questioned by the district court, she made misrepresentations about the falsified signature and her communication with the client.
This conduct resulted in further charges, including violating the duty to consult with a client about the objectives of representation (Rule 32:1.2(a)) and engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice (Rule 32:8.4(d)).
Conclusion: The Indefinite Loss of a License
Given Kieffer-Garrison’s long history of failing to cure defaults, making false representations, and finally, falsifying a court document, the Iowa Supreme Court concluded that a definite suspension was insufficient. In 2020, her license was suspended indefinitely with no possibility of reinstatement for one year from the date of the opinion. The Illinois Supreme Court again imposed reciprocal discipline.
The indefinite nature of the sanction means that reinstatement is not guaranteed; she must petition the court and meet all conditions, demonstrating rehabilitation and fitness to practice. Kieffer-Garrison’s professional trajectory serves as a definitive statement from the judiciary: repeated client neglect, combined with dishonesty and the falsification of documents, is irreconcilable with the trust placed in an officer of the court.