In the Matter of Lise R. Witt

Summary

The court held that Witt knowingly violated the ethical rules governing truthfulness, communications with represented persons, respect for others' legal rights, dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. It clarified that knowingly engaging in misconduct requires conscious awareness of the nature or circumstances of the conduct, not awareness that the conduct violates an ethical rule, and concluded that Witt's unauthorized contact with a represented co-defendant and false jail-form designation satisfied that standard. The court imposed a 120-day suspension, two years of probation, and costs, while affirming the existing probation conditions and vacating the panel's contrary misconduct and mental-state findings.