Attorney D. Patrick Smitherman of Houston, TX; ethical gremlin

The state of Texas presented D. Patrick Smitherman with a law license in 2000 after he graduated from the University of Texas School of Law.

The 129^th District Court of Harris County found Patty guilty of engaging in the following misconduct.

• Failed to maintain funds belonging in whole or in part to a client or third person in a trust account
• Failed to promptly deliver to the client or third person any funds that the client or third person is entitled to receive
• Commingled client funds with personal funds
• Disbursed trust or escrow account funds to persons not entitled to receive them by virtue of his representation or by law
• Failed to set aside portion of funds in dispute separate until the dispute was resolved

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the Patron Saints for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Texas Supreme Court punished Johnny by gifting him with a complimentary 1-year suspension of his law license.

As speak (ca. February 2021), Johnny practices his brand of law in Houston, Texas.