Jesus Romo Vejar

DCCA Opinion (October 12, 2006)

Summary: In a reciprocal matter from Arizona, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed nonidentical reciprocal discipline and suspended Romo Vejar for six months. The Supreme Court of Arizona publicly censured Romo Vejar and placed him on probation for one year with terms for stipulated disciplinary violations of the Arizona Supreme Court rules and Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct related to neglect, negligent misappropriation, commingling, and trust account violations. The misconduct arose from Romo Vejar’s representation of a client in a personal injury matter and his subsequent handling of settlement proceeds, which included the negotiation of a lien payment to his client’s insurance company. During the period when Romo Vejar held the funds in his trust account, he allowed some of those trust funds to be used for other reasons, thereby not preserving these funds at all times. Because negligent misappropriation warrants a significantly different sanction in the District of Columbia, the court imposed substantially different reciprocal discipline of a six-month suspension.

Board Report and Orders (July 31, 2006)

Summary: In a reciprocal matter from Arizona, the Board on Professional Responsibility recommends that the D.C. Court of Appeals impose substantially different reciprocal discipline and suspend Vejar for six moths. The Supreme Court of Arizona publicly censured Vejar for neglect, negligent misappropriation, commingling, and trust account violations stemming from his representation of a client in a personal injury case and his handling of the settlement proceeds. One member of the board dissented with regard to the issue of sanction.