Lee v. Virginia State Bar

Holding

A three-judge circuit court found that an attorney violated the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct (the “Disciplinary Rules”) by knowingly withholding exculpatory evidence from a criminal defendant. The attorney argues that the Virginia State Bar subcommittee that certified the ethics complaint had improper notice of a prior disciplinary action against him and contends that the evidence was insufficient to support the circuit court’s finding of ethical misconduct because the trial judge in the criminal case wherein the misconduct occurred came to a different conclusion. Disagreeing with both assertions, this Court affirms.