Attorney Phillip Tschirhart of Cheboygan, MI; ethical dwarf  

The state of Michigan presented Phillip S. Tschirhart with a law license in 1958 after he graduated from Michigan State University Law School.

The Tri-County Hearing Panel found Phil guilty of the following misconduct.

While serving as a District Court judge, Phil found it acceptable to permit a magistrate that he had appointed to preside over a case in which Phil’s son was named as a defendant.

Phil sought favorable treatment from the State Police and prosecuting attorney for his son in connected with the case and failed to notify the State Court Administrator’s office that he had

Disqualified himself in the case after it had been pending for one year during which time Phil failed to schedule the case for trial.

• Engaged in ex parte (one sided) conversations with visiting judge assigned to hear son’s case
• Attempted to obtain an adjournment of his son’s case
• Improperly used judicial office to hinder, delay and/or frustrate the collection of a loan to his son, which Phil had guaranteed
• Threatened retaliation against attorney for the bank which sued Phil and his son for defaulting on a loan

As a consequence of his misconduct, the Patron Saints for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Michigan Supreme Court punished Phil by gifting him with a complimentary 60-day suspension of his law license.

As we speak (ca. May 2015), Phil practices at 4060 Orchard Beach Road in Cheboygan, Michigan.