In the Disciplinary Matter Involving John M. Rice, Attorney

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the disciplinary sanction imposed on John Rice, concluding that he violated the duty to cooperate with the Bar’s investigation and committed trust-accounting misconduct. The court held that summary judgment was proper on the cooperation violation, that Rice waived his due-process challenge to the truncated hearing and that any deficiency was cured by the Disciplinary Board’s opportunity to consider additional evidence. Applying independent judgment to the sanction, the court upheld a four-year suspension with one year conditionally stayed.