Gretna attorney Elaine Appleberry, licensed to practice law in Louisiana for more than 23 years, has received a deferred suspension following a Feb. 9 Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary proceeding over alleged trust account irregularities.
The high court handed down a deferred six-month suspension against Appleberry, subject to a year of supervised probation, according to the court's single-page disciplinary proceeding. The probationary period will begin on the date Appleberry, an assigned probation monitor and the office of disciplinary counsel execute a formal probation plan, according to the disciplinary proceeding.
"Any failure of [Appleberry] to comply with the conditions of probation, or any misconduct during the probationary period, may be grounds for making the deferred suspension executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate," the disciplinary proceeding said.
Appleberry also was ordered to pay all costs and expenses in the matter "in accordance with Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 10.1, with legal interest to commence thirty days from the date of finality of this court's judgment until paid," the proceeding said.
The state Supreme Court's action followed an office of disciplinary counsel investigation into allegations Appleberry "mismanaged her client trust account, which resulted in the negligent commingling and conversion of funds," according to the disciplinary proceeding.
After the office of disciplinary counsel filed formal charges against Appleberry. Then she and the office submitted a joint petition for consent discipline, according to the proceeding. The state Supreme Court's decision followed a review of the joint petition for consent discipline, according to the proceeding.
Appleberry was admitted to the Louisiana bar Oct. 7, 1994, according to her profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website. Her state bar profile lists no prior discipline. Appleberry is a divorce and family law attorney and her law office is in Gretna.