These summaries are provided by the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR), an agency of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The OLR assists the court in supervising the practice of law and protecting the public from misconduct by lawyers. The OLR has offices at 110 E. Main St., Suite 315, Madison, WI 53703; toll-free (877) 315-6941. The full text of items summarized is at www.wicourts.gov/olr.

Disciplinary Proceedings Against Jon Evenson

The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended the law license of Jon Evenson, Madison, for 30 months, effective April 16, 2015. Because Evenson entered into a stipulation under SCR 22.12, the court did not impose costs. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Evenson, 2015 WI 38.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 5, 2013, Evenson approached an obviously intoxicated 22-year-old woman leaving a bar on State Street in Madison. He convinced her to leave with him and took her to his downtown law firm. Evenson gave the woman a “Molly” (commonly known as “ecstacy”) and alcohol. They had sexual intercourse at the law office. Evenson then drove the woman to his home where they had more alcohol and engaged in additional sexual intercourse.  The next day, the woman awoke bruised, confused, and uncertain about what happened to her. She notified the police.

Evenson pleaded guilty to one count of delivery of a schedule I drug, contrary to Wis. Stat. sections 961.41(1)(b) and 939.50(3)(h) (Class H felony), and two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, contrary to Wis. Stat. sections 940.225(3m) and 939.51(3)(a) (Class A misdemeanors).  He was sentenced to six years on count one (three-year prison term, with three years’ extended supervision), and two consecutive nine-month jail terms on counts two and three. The court stayed the sentence and imposed a three-year term of probation with conditions, including nine months in jail with Huber privileges.

By engaging in acts leading to convictions of one felony count of delivery of a controlled substance and two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, Evenson violated SCR 20:8.4(b), which provides, “It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to: … (b) commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.”

By urging an obviously intoxicated woman to accompany him, providing her with ecstasy and additional alcohol, and sexually assaulting her, Evenson engaged in offensive personality, in violation of SCR 40.15, the Attorney’s Oath, enforceable via SCR 20:8.4(g). That oath states, in pertinent part, “I will abstain from all offensive personality.” SCR 20:8.4(g) states that it is professional misconduct for an attorney to violate the attorney’s oath. Evenson had a prior public reprimand in 2011 for a criminal conviction involving battery charges. 

Disciplinary Proceedings Against Jeff D. Stobbe

On April 28, 2015, the supreme court publicly reprimanded Jeff D. Stobbe, Muskego, and ordered him to pay the full $890.68 cost of the disciplinary proceeding. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Stobbe, 2015 WI 43.

Stobbe was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 2002. His Wisconsin law license has been administratively suspended since June 4, 2013, pursuant to SCR 31.10(1), as a result of his failure to satisfy mandatory continuing legal education requirements for the 2011-12 reporting period.

The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a six-count complaint alleging that Stobbe committed misconduct in connection with five client matters. Over several months, Stobbe missed a series of filing deadlines for several clients, failed to file appropriate appellate briefs, and then failed to respond to court orders directing filing and imposing sanctions. Stobbe’s misconduct included violations of SCR 20:1.3 and SCR 20:3.4(c). After the appointment of a referee, Stobbe and the OLR entered into a comprehensive stipulation regarding both misconduct and discipline. The referee and the court approved the stipulation.

Disciplinary Proceedings Against Paul G. Belke

On April 24, 2015, the supreme court suspended the law license of Paul G. Belke, Princeton, for four months. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Belke, 2015 WI 41. The court further ordered Belke to pay the $3,316.55 cost of the proceeding. In addition, as a condition of reinstatement of his license and of his continued practice thereafter, Belke must continue to participate in a monitoring contract with the Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program for one year after the reinstatement of his license and to fully comply with all monitoring-contract conditions.

By his acts leading to the following seven misdemeanor convictions, Belke, in each instance, violated SCR 20:8.4(b): An August 2010 disorderly conduct conviction stemming from conduct while intoxicated at General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee; a January 2011 OWI-2nd conviction in Dane County; two separate February 2011 disorderly conduct (domestic abuse) convictions in Green Lake County; an August 2012 disorderly conduct (domestic abuse) conviction in Green Lake County; an August 2012 two-count bail jumping conviction in Green Lake County; and a June 2013 OWI-3rd conviction in Marquette County.

Of the seven convictions, Belke failed to report all but the June 2013 OWI-3rd conviction to the OLR and the clerk of the supreme court. With respect to each of the six failures to report, Belke violated SCR 21.15(5), enforced via SCR 20:8.4(f).

Belke had no prior discipline.