► Attorney Daryl Laatsch of West Bend, WI; loser, certified Dumbo Print
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Attorney Daryl Laatsch of West Bend, WI; loser, certified Dumbo

 
Sadly for the citizens of the West Bend, Wisconsin, which is about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, Daryl Laatsch was a Municipal Court Judge from 1991 to 2005.
 
In November 2004, the Judicial Commission filed an ethics complaint against Judge Daryl Laatsch and in February 2007 it found him guilty of the misconduct set forth below.
  1. Presided over two criminal cases in which a family member was a defendant
  2. Presided over a civil matter when the defendant was also his client
  3. Identified himself as a judge in the Yellow Pages to advertise his private law practice
When Laatsch’s minor niece appeared in his court along with her mother who was his Sister, he presided over the case. He did the same thing when his nephew appeared on a criminal matter in his court.
 
Apparently, this Dumbo is incapable of understanding the term “conflict of interest.” Of course to be fair, maybe he didn’t recognize his Sister!
 
As a municipal court judge, Laatsch was permitted to run a private law practice on the side. When a client of his appeared in his court on a civil matter, the Dumbo remained on the case, again failing to recognize what a “conflict of interest” entails.
 
As punishment for his egregious misconduct, the enablers on the Judicial Commission gifted Judge Daryl Laatsch by presenting him with a complimentary reprimand.
 
Fortunately, the voters in West Bend weren’t impressed with Daryl the Dumbo’s antics and voted him out of office in November 2006.
 
As we speak (ca. Feb 2011), Daryl continues to practice law at 823 S. Main Street in West Bend.