An Iowa City official faces the possibility of losing his law license for a period of time after it was discovered he falsified a number of documents, according to recent announcements.
Reports state that while McGinness was working with his previous employer, Simmons Perrie Moyer Bergman Law Firm, he falsified documents that were requested and informed an opposing lawyer that they were filed when they were not. The documents were for a civil case with the law firm. The incident happened last June.
The falsehood was discovered that the documents were created in June and not when McGinness informed the opposing lawyer. They were actually copied from previous documents instead of signed legally, making them false and void.
Reports state that the opposing lawyer informed McGinness they were false, but McGinness denied it. It was discovered beyond a doubt that they were in fact false and McGinness had lied. McGinness finally admitted to lying in a letter a few months later, where he noted that the proof was accurate and he did in fact lie. He also noted his remorse for his actions.
Since then, McGinness left the law firm.
The falsehood, though, violated the rules of professional conduct in Iowa. While McGinness has been given some credit for the volunteer work he has done in the community, including a current term on the Iowa City School Board, set to expire in 2015, the Iowa Supreme Court Grievance Commission believes that his law license should still be suspended for six months.
The Iowa Supreme Court is set to review the request.
Reports state that while McGinness was working with his previous employer, Simmons Perrie Moyer Bergman Law Firm, he falsified documents that were requested and informed an opposing lawyer that they were filed when they were not. The documents were for a civil case with the law firm. The incident happened last June.
The falsehood was discovered that the documents were created in June and not when McGinness informed the opposing lawyer. They were actually copied from previous documents instead of signed legally, making them false and void.
Reports state that the opposing lawyer informed McGinness they were false, but McGinness denied it. It was discovered beyond a doubt that they were in fact false and McGinness had lied. McGinness finally admitted to lying in a letter a few months later, where he noted that the proof was accurate and he did in fact lie. He also noted his remorse for his actions.
Since then, McGinness left the law firm.
The falsehood, though, violated the rules of professional conduct in Iowa. While McGinness has been given some credit for the volunteer work he has done in the community, including a current term on the Iowa City School Board, set to expire in 2015, the Iowa Supreme Court Grievance Commission believes that his law license should still be suspended for six months.
The Iowa Supreme Court is set to review the request.
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Iowa City Owl
Iowa City School Board member could lose law license