► Attorney Stephen Belay of Decorah, IA; ethical misfit Print
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Attorney Stephen Belay of Decorah, IA; ethical misfit

 
The state of Iowa presented Stephen Joseph Belay with a law license in 1983 after he graduated from the University of Iowa Law School.
 
The Iowa Supreme Court Disciplinary Board found Stephen guilty of the following misconduct.
 
Over the course of four (4) years, Stephen failed to timely file his federal and state income tax returns.
 
While answering one of his annual client security fund questionnaires in regards to timely filing his state and federal tax returns, Stephen had the chutzpah to invoke his Firth Amendment right to remain silent.
  • Engaged in conduct that tended to lessen public confidence in legal profession (What’s New?)
  • Knowingly violated a disciplinary rule
  • Engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
  • Engaged in conduct involving fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation
  • Engaged in conduct adversely reflecting on fitness to practice law
As a consequence of his misconduct, the enablers for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Iowa Supreme Court punished Stephen by gifting him with a complimentary 6-month suspension of his law license.
 
As we speak (ca. January 2014), Stephen practices with Anderson, Wilmarth, Van Der Maaten, Belay & Fretheim at 212 Winnebago Street in Decorah, Iowa.