Click here for prior pages from the Kentucky Court Report posting attorney disciplinary matters.  The Disciplinary Actions can be found at page 5-6 of the June 2015 SCOKY minutes.

Disciplinary matters with links to the full text of the action are below, dated June 11, 2015:

KBA VS. JAMES DOUGLAS OSBORNE
ORDER OF PERMANENT DISBARMENT FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW.

The charge against Osborne alleged the following counts of misconduct: Count I – SCR 3.130-1.3 (failure to act with reasonable diligence and promptness while representing a client); Count II – SCR 3.130-1.4(a)(3) (failure to promptly comply with reasonable request for information); Count III – SCR 3.130-5.5(b) (holding one’s self out as authorized to practice law in a jurisdiction when the lawyer is not admitted to practice); Count IV – SCR 3.130-8.4(c) (engaging in fraud or dishonest conduct); and Count V – SCR 3.130-3.4(c) (knowingly disobeying an obligation of the rules of a tribunal). Attempts to serve Osborne with a copy of the charge via certified mail were unsuccessful, with service subsequently accomplished by serving the Executive Director of the KBA. The executive director attempted service on three different addresses listed for Osborne, but all certified mail documents were returned unclaimed.

MICHAEL CONSTANTINE SKOUTERIS VS. KBA
ORDER OF SUSPENSION FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW FOR FAILURE TO PAY HIS KBA BAR DUES FOR THE 2014-2015 FISCAL YEAR PURSUANT TO SCR 3.050.

KBA VS. JOHN GREENE ARNETT, JR.
ORDER OF PERMANENT DISBARMENT FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW.

He is alleged to have committed numerous violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The Kentucky Bar Association’s Board of Governors has recommended that he be permanently disbarred for his misconduct. This Court adopts the recommendation.

Arnett’s misconduct came to light in the course of an investigation of his use of client funds by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. Arnett had been retained by Robert Shane Hamblin in February 2012 to represent him in a divorce proceeding and received $75,000.00 in marital funds to hold in trust pending final division of the couple’s assets. Arnett placed the funds in his IOLTA account. As part of the divorce settlement, Hamblin was directed to pay his ex-wife one-half of the funds being held by Arnett. Hamblin instructed.   Arnett to release those funds to the ex-wife. Arnett, however, refused to disburse the finds.

While the disciplinary matter was being investigated, Arnett was temporarily suspended from the practice of law as of August 21, 2014. Id. at 170. That suspension is still in effect.  The criminal investigation in Boone County had a domino effect. Several other victims were discovered, leading to a multiple-count felony indictment in the Boone Circuit Court in Criminal Action No. 14-CR-00368 on April 12, 2014, and five separate disciplinary actions against Arnett, which are the subject of this matter.

KBA VS. REBECCA COX VENTER
ORDER OF SUSPENSION FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW FOR 181 DAYS WITH CONDITIONS.

The KBA’s Board of Governors considered a total of thirteen charges in three separate files against Venter; all of the counts reached the Board as default cases pursuant to SCR 3.210. Of the thirteen charged counts, the Board found Venter guilty of eleven and not guilty of two. The Board unanimously agreed upon disciplinary action including a 181-day suspension from the practice of law, restitution payments, Kentucky Bar Lawyer’s Assistance Program (KYLAP) evaluation and assistance, and that Venter should complete the Ethics and Professional Enhancement Program (EPEP) prior to applying for reinstatement to the practice of law.