JEFFERSON CITY — Fourteen lawyers have been reinstated by the Missouri Supreme Court this month after being suspended for tax violations.
The attorneys had all been in violation of the Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary Rule 5.245 for either failing to pay or failing to file their taxes for fiscal 2016.
The suspensions were indefinite and ordered until the attorneys could either have the Department of Revenue strike their names from the suspension list or provide an affidavit to show that their tax liability was in contest, according to court records. The notice of discipline was mailed to each of the attorneys to the address on file with the Missouri Bar membership records department. From the time they received the notice, the attorneys had 30 days to resolve the issue.
On May 17, the following members of the Missouri Bar were reinstated and are again eligible to practice law in the state: Robert P. Warden of Joplin (admitted 1954); David Clark Vaughn III of Springfield (admitted 1990); Daniel Reed Smith of Rockport (admitted 2006); Steven Lewis of St. Louis (admitted 1989); Charles Peter Knops of Kansas City (admitted 1992); Barbara Ann Knops of Leawood, Kansas (admitted 1995); Michele Marie Horn of Branson (admitted 2004); Justin Mederic Durel of St. Louis (admitted 2013); Michael Scott Dodig of Lees Summit (admitted 1993); and Richard Blong Dempsey Jr. of St. Louis (admitted 1995).
In addition, Robyn Renee Strange of Rolla (admitted 1996) was reinstated to the Bar on May 19.
On May 25, attorneys Sam Edward Poston of St. Louis (admitted 1992), Joe B. Whisler of Kansas City (admitted 1972) and Steve Wolf of St. Louis (admitted 1995) were also reinstated.
The suspensions and reinstatements for each of the attorneys were signed by the Supreme Court of Missouri’s Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge.