On Friday, March 1, 2024, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Arizona issued a Final Judgment and Order reprimanding attorney Bradley Thies for violating Arizona ethics rules.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Bradley M. Thies,” with case no. PDJ 2023-9079.
According to a previously filed Agreement for Discipline by Consent, Thies had made misrepresentations in filings submitted to the Maricopa County Probate Court relating to an estate matter. In August 2022, Thies filed an application to have his client Nancy Sirilla appointed as personal representative of the estate. The initial application incorrectly stated that Sirilla was the “only known heir” when Thies knew there were additional heirs with rights of intestate succession.
Thies refiled the application in late August with the same misrepresentation. After one of the other heirs, Patricia Fidurski-Brady, contacted Thies about the inaccurate filing, Thies agreed to amend the application but the amended filing contained a new false statement that all heirs had waived or would waive the bond requirement. A hearing was held in November, where Thies took responsibility for the misrepresentations.
The Agreement for Discipline by Consent filed with the Presiding Disciplinary Judge’s office outlined that Thies’ conduct violated Arizona Ethics Rules. According to the agreement, while suspension is generally the presumptive sanction for knowingly submitting false statements to a court, mitigating factors warranted reducing the sanction to a reprimand.
Mitigating factors considered included Thies’ lack of prior discipline, absence of a dishonest motive as his intent was to protect the estate rather than deceive the court, his efforts to rectify the mistakes, and positive character references. Aggravating factors included a pattern of misconduct across multiple filings and Thies’ substantial legal experience since being admitted to practice in 2001.
The agreement was accepted by the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, resulting in the Order officially reprimanding Thies and requiring him to pay $1,200 in costs to the State Bar of Arizona.
The Disposition states:
“IT IS ORDERED reprimanding Bradley M. Thies for his conduct in violation of the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, as outlined in the consent documents.”
According to avvo.com, Mr. Thies is a litigation attorney in Chandler, Arizona. He attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, graduating in 2001. He acquired his law license in Arizona in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
