Attorney Thomas Stutzman of San Jose; ethical gremlin

The state of California provided Thomas Chase Stutzman with a law license in 1976 after he graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara Law School.

The California State Bar Court found Tommy Elliott of the following misconduct.

• Failed to refund more than $9,500 owed to client
• Asked client to sign sham document stating Tommy had no legal obligation to pay client $9,500 he owed to her
• Failed to refund $2,500 owing to client in timely manner

In another matter, Tommy got into trouble with a husband-and-wife client when he demanded additional fees.

Tommy then offered to accept massages from the wife in exchange for legal services. She interpreted this to be a sexual overture, though Stutzman maintained he had no intention to proposition her. Tommy laughingly claimed that he had no intention of propositioning the client.

As a consequence of his misconduct, the apologists for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Bar Court punished Tommy by gifting him with a complimentary stayed 1-year suspension of his law license.

In truth, the comedians sitting on the California State Bar Court didn’t mete out any meaningful punishment to Tommy.

As we speak (ca. October 2014) Tommy practices at 1625 The Alameda in San Jose, California.