Supreme Court of Missouri
en banc

November 17, 2009

Supreme Court Case No. SC89987

In re:  Linda F. Jarman,   MBE No. 39927

ORDER

Now at this day, the Court having considered the statement of acceptance of the Disciplinary Hearing Panel decision pursuant to Rule 5.19(c), and said cause having been briefed and argued pursuant to the order of this Court, the Court finds as follows:

Respondent, Linda F. Jarman, Missouri Bar Number 39927, has previously accepted two admonitions in 2003 for violations of Rule 4-1.15 and an admonition in 2005 for violation of Rules 4-1.4 4-1.5, and 4-1.15.

After briefing and argument in this cause, the Court finds that Respondent, Linda F. Jarman, violated Rule 4-1.1 by failing to provide competent representation to her clients in that she failed to employ the thoroughness reasonably necessary to represent her clients; Rule 4-1.3 by failing to act with reasonable diligence in the representation of her client in that she failed to attempt to withdraw municipal guilty pleas entered against her client; Rule 4-1.4 by failing to reasonably communicate with her clients in that the telephone and facsimile machine in her law office was substandard; Rule 4-1.9(a) by engaging in an improper conflict of interest between a current and former client in that she failed to obtain informed consent prior to representing a child in the modification of her parents’ dissolution decree after having previously represented one of the parents in the drafting of the dissolution decree.

In accordance with previous decisions of this Court, Respondent is hereby suspended from the practice of law for a period of six months from the date of this order. Said suspension is stayed, and Respondent is placed on probation for a period of two years from the date of this order. The conditions of probation shall be those set forth in Rule 5.225 and the conditions set forth in the probation agreement signed by the parties and attached to the joint stipulation of facts, joint proposed conclusions of law and joint recommended discipline filed before the Disciplinary Hearing Panel and filed in this Court on March 9, 2009.

Fee pursuant to Rule 5.19(h) in the amount of $1,000.00 payable to the Clerk of this Court to the credit of the Advisory Committee Fund taxed to Respondent.

Costs taxed to Respondent.

Day - to - Day

_______________________

William Ray Price, Jr.

Chief Justice

Note: To view any specific rule provisions cited in this order, please visit the pages for Supreme Court of Missouri Rule 4 and Rule 5. Please be aware the versions of the rules available online are those currently in effect and may have changed since this order issued.