Lawyer Discipline
The Office of Lawyer Regulation (formerly known as the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility), an agency of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and component of the lawyer regulation system, assists the court in carrying out its constitutional responsibility to supervise the practice of law and protect the public from misconduct by persons practicing law in Wisconsin. The Office of Lawyer Regulation has offices located at Suite 315, 110 E. Main St., Madison, WI 53703, and Suite 300, 342 N. Water St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Toll-free telephone: (877) 315-6941.
Public Reprimand of Jack C. Hoag
Jack C. Hoag, 48, Janesville, has been publicly reprimanded by the Office of Lawyer Regulation (formerly the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility) for failing to communicate with a client. Hoag represented a man on an appeal of the man's commitment as a sexually violent person. The notice of appeal was filed subsequent to the applicable civil appeal deadline. The court of appeals raised the issue of timeliness, and directed the appellant to file a memorandum on that issue. Hoag filed such a memorandum. The court of appeals dismissed the appeal as having been untimely filed. Hoag then withdrew. Contrary to SCR 20:1.4(a), Hoag failed to inform his client that the court of appeals had raised the timeliness issue; that the matter was briefed; that the court of appeals had acted to dismiss the appeal; and that Hoag would then be withdrawing as counsel in the matter. The client learned of the dismissal from a fellow inmate who came across the client's case while doing legal research. Hoag had previously received two private reprimands, in 1995 and 1997.
