AUSTIN – The State Bar of Texas released its latest disciplinary actions today, among which is a judgment of disbarment for an Austin attorney who represented her roommate after bringing charges against him.
Christina Pagano received the judgment on July 14. An evidentiary panel of the District 9 Grievance Committee found that Pagano contacted law enforcement on
May 3, 2018, and filed charges against her roommate, alleging he had taken her vehicle without her consent.
On May 7, 2018, the complainant, who is a licensed Texas attorney, was appointed to represent Pagano’s roommate on a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The following day, Pagano visited her roommate in the Travis County Correctional Complex and represented she was his attorney, without the consent of the complainant.
The roommate was granted a personal bond on May 10, 2018, which listed Pagano as the attorney of record.
“Pagano took these actions even though she was the victim in the criminal proceedings against her roommate and he was represented by the complainant at the time,” the Bar’s report states.
There were other noteworthy disciplinary actions in the report as well.
On Sept. 27, Glen Michael Crocker, a Beaumont attorney, agreed to a 15-month fully probated suspension. The 58th District Court of Jefferson County, which is presided over by Judge Kent Walston, found that Crocker neglected a legal matter entrusted to him and upon termination of representation, Crocker failed to refund any advance payments of fees that had not been earned.
“Furthermore, Crocker engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, and misrepresentation,” the report states. “Lastly, Crocker failed to timely respond to the grievance without asserting a privilege or other legal ground for his failure to do so.”
On Aug. 30, Max Franklin Stovall, a Houston attorney, received a two-year partially probated suspension. The committee found that Stovall neglected the legal matter entrusted to him. Stovall further failed to keep his clients reasonably informed about the status of their case and failed to promptly comply with his clients’ reasonable requests for information.
“Stovall also failed to provide closing statements and failed to distribute all funds from the settlement amounts received,” the report states. “Stovall also failed to direct and supervise a nonlawyer in the distribution of the funds.”