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LOUISIANA RECORD

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Louisiana Supreme Court critical of Ponchatoula attorney's delayed misconduct discipline

Discipline
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NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — Ponchatoula attorney Carol E. Parker has been suspended following an Oct. 15 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding over alleged misconduct in a community property case nine years ago.

In its 10-page attorney disciplinary proceeding, the Supreme Court suspended Parker for six months, with all but 30 days deferred.

The deferred portion of the suspension is "subject to the condition that any misconduct during this period may be grounds for making the deferred portion of the suspension executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate," the disciplinary proceeding said.

The high court also ordered Parker to pay all costs and expenses in the matter, plus interest.

Allegations against Parker included filing a frivolous motion to recuse a judge, which "is serious misconduct which unduly burdens the judicial system," the disciplinary proceeding said. "We caution all members of the bar that such tactics raise serious ethical concerns and will not be tolerated by this court."

The court also acknowledged "there are some significant mitigating factors in this case, including a lengthy and unexplained delay in the institution of disciplinary proceedings," the disciplinary proceeding said. "But for this factor, we might be inclined to impose a harsher sanction."

Parker was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 5, 1990, according to her profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website. Parker had no prior discipline before the state bar, according to the disciplinary proceeding.

Parker's alleged misconduct, in which she is accused of filing frivolous and baseless motions to recuse judges to delay trial in the community property case, occurred in 2010. Complaints were filed against her the following year.

Parker reported that the office of disciplinary counsel in 2014 made an offer of consent discipline, which she rejected, according to the disciplinary proceeding.

"However, there is no explanation in the record as to why the ODC failed to institute charges until late 2017," the proceeding said.

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