JEFFERSON CITY – An Alexandria, Virginia attorney who pleaded guilty in 2001 to stealing his late mother-in-law's Veterans Administration checks is among three attorneys disbarred following recent and separate orders issued by the Missouri Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court disbarred Robert Brown Patterson following his motion to the court to voluntarily surrender his license to practice law in Missouri, according to the court's June 4 order. The court also ordered Patterson to pay costs in the matter.
In January 2002, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board summarily suspended Patterson following his guilty plea the previous November in U.S. District Court for that state's Eastern District for theft of government property, according to a report of disciplinary actions taken by the Virginia State Bar during the first half of that year. Patterson was alleged to have stolen Veteran's Administration checks and funds intended for his deceased mother-in-law.
Patterson surrendered his license to practice law in Virginia in February 2002, according to the report.
In a separate order, Monett attorney John Woodard Jr. has been voluntarily disbarred following a June 4 Missouri Supreme Court order after he admitted to professional conduct rule violations, according to the order.
Woodard petitioned the court to voluntarily surrender his license to practice law in Missouri, admitting to professional conduct rules violations regarding trust account and property of others and misconduct.
The court's order provided no details about Woodard's alleged misconduct but did accept his petition and disbarred Woodard. The court also ordered Woodard to pay costs.
In another order, St. Louis attorney Mark Brian Moran has been disbarred following a June 4 Missouri Supreme Court order after he was found to have violated professional conduct rules.
Moran was found to have violated professional conduct rules regarding trust account and property of others, declining or terminating representation and misconduct. The court found Moran guilty of professional misconduct before disbarring him. The court's order provided no details about Moran's alleged misconduct.
The court also ordered Moran to pay $2,000 to the advisory committee fund, in addition to costs.