Indiana Supreme Court Permanently Bans Judge Dale Arnett from Judicial Service
RANDOLPH COUNTY, IN – In a highly consequential ruling, the Indiana Supreme Court has ordered Randolph Superior Court Judge Dale Arnett to resign. It has permanently banned him from ever holding judicial office in the state again. The decision, handed down in November 2025, found that Judge Arnett committed judicial misconduct through a “long pattern […]
Jugjit Singh Johal Permanently Disbarred for Commingling Client Funds
The financial integrity of the attorney-client relationship hinges entirely on the proper management of the Client Trust Account (CTA). Sacramento attorney Jugjit Singh Johal violated this foundational principle so severely that the Supreme Court of California ordered his permanent disbarment, effective October 16, 2025. Johal’s disbarment (Case No. S292211) was a direct result of flagrant […]
Attorney Aaron Spolin Permanently Disbarred for Exploiting Incarcerated Clients
The power imbalance between an attorney and a client is never starker than when the client is incarcerated and their family is desperate for a path to freedom. Los Angeles attorney Aaron Spolin (State Bar Number 310379) faced the ultimate penalty—permanent disbarment—for a pattern of egregious misconduct that involved systematically misleading and exploiting these vulnerable […]
Attorney David George Smith Disbarred for Misappropriation of Client Funds
The most severe professional sanction—permanent disbarment—has been handed down to veteran Oakland attorney David George Smith (State Bar Number 78228). The Supreme Court of California ordered his permanent removal from the practice of law, effective October 16, 2025, for a pattern of severe financial misconduct, primarily the misappropriation of client funds. For an attorney admitted […]
Todd Stuart Osborne Barred for Client Neglect and Communication Failures
The California State Bar has imposed a significant penalty on Santa Cruz attorney Todd Stuart Osborne, ordering a 90-day actual suspension of his law license, effective September 16, 2025. The sanction was levied following Osborne’s stipulation to multiple acts of professional misconduct across three different client matters, demonstrating a persistent pattern of neglect and poor […]
Attorney David Leon Speckman Disbarred for Misconduct and Conflict of Interest
The ultimate sanction of disbarment has been imposed on California attorney David Leon Speckman for severe and repeated misconduct in the United States Bankruptcy Court. Effective September 17, 2025, the California Supreme Court ordered Speckman’s name to be permanently removed from the roll of attorneys. The disbarment (Case No. S292168) stems from a devastating pattern […]
Gilbert Whitney Leigh Barred from Practice for Failure to Rehabilitate
The legal profession requires attorneys to adhere not only to ethical rules but also to disciplinary orders designed for rehabilitation. Attorney Gilbert Whitney Leigh, a California Bar member since 1991, has faced the severe consequence of a lengthy, indefinite suspension of his law license for a persistent failure to comply with his probationary terms. The […]
Resignation Follows Ethics Complaint: Former Judge Matthew J. Elken Disciplined for Misconduct
MINNESOTA, THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT – Former District Court Judge Matthew J. Elken, who served in Minnesota’s Third Judicial District, resigned from the bench in April 2023 amid an ethics investigation by the Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards. His departure was a direct result of disciplinary proceedings stemming from a documented pattern of inappropriate conduct, including […]
Permanent Loss: Stephen John Armstrong Disbarred for Moral Turpitude and Client Fund Failures
The California State Bar has delivered the ultimate professional sanction to attorney Stephen John Armstrong, ordering his permanent disbarment effective November 6, 2025. The ruling was imposed for a devastating combination of ethical violations, including failures in the fundamental handling of client money and an official finding of acts of moral turpitude. For an attorney […]
Attorney Konrad Kirk Kuenstler Permanently Disbarred for Misappropriation of Client Funds
The ultimate professional sanction—permanent disbarment—has been handed down to California attorney Konrad Kirk Kuenstler. Effective October 24, 2025, the order from the State Bar Court removes Kuenstler from the practice of law following a devastating array of ethical failures, primarily the misappropriation of client funds. Kuenstler’s case (Case No. 24-O-30873) is a stark reminder of […]