On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma suspended attorney Mosemarie Dora Boyd from practicing law for six months, effective September 27, 2024, following a reciprocal disciplinary action stemming from her 2023 suspension in Arkansas.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Mosemarie Dora Boyd,” with case no. 2025 OK 30.
The ruling found Boyd committed professional misconduct in a guardianship case, violating Rules 3.1 and 8.4(d) of the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct.
Boyd faced discipline after her actions in an Arkansas guardianship matter prompted a six-month suspension by the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Committee on Professional Conduct in January 2023. The Arkansas suspension, which ended in July 2023, was based on violations of identical professional conduct rules. Boyd promptly notified the Oklahoma Bar Association of her Arkansas discipline. He kept them updated on her appeal, which the Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed in May 2024 for failure to file a brief after multiple extensions.
The misconduct involved an ex parte emergency guardianship petition Boyd filed in Arkansas on August 2, 2021, seeking guardianship of three minor children belonging to her ex-boyfriend and his ex-wife. The petition alleged sexual, physical, and psychological abuse but lacked sufficient evidence, according to the Arkansas court. After a six-hour hearing with testimony from six witnesses, the trial court dismissed the petition, finding no evidence of abuse. The dismissal was not appealed. On November 9, 2021, the court granted sanctions against Boyd under Arkansas Rule 11, and the trial judge, John Magness, reported her conduct to Arkansas’s Office of the Committee on Professional Conduct.
Further violations arose from Boyd’s failure to seal the original petition, which included the children’s names, addresses, dates of birth, and a photograph, breaching Arkansas rules. She also provided an unsealed copy of the nearly 200-page petition to the children’s school principal the day after filing, before the court sealed it sua sponte. Boyd claimed she was unaware of the sealing order due to her travel and not checking her email. The Arkansas disciplinary panel found these actions violated Rule 8.4(d), constituting conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, and Rule 3.1, for pursuing a frivolous legal action.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court reviewed 1,612 pages of the Arkansas disciplinary record, sealed due to the guardianship’s sensitive nature, and Boyd’s briefs, including a waiver of a tribunal hearing and mitigation arguments. Boyd argued she acted in good faith to protect the children and claimed procedural errors in Arkansas, including due process violations. The court rejected these claims, noting she had ample notice and opportunity to respond during the Arkansas proceedings. The record, including hearing transcripts and petitions, supported the findings of misconduct.
In mitigation, Boyd submitted her resume, letters of support, and noted her clean disciplinary record in Oklahoma. She acknowledged the experience as a learning opportunity, vowing to avoid similar conduct. The Oklahoma Bar Association requested a six-month suspension, aligning with Arkansas’s discipline. The court agreed, citing the specific circumstances tied to Boyd’s personal relationship and her cooperation with the Oklahoma proceedings.
The Disposition states:
“For the above reasons, we hold that in this reciprocal disciplinary matter, there was sufficient evidence to support the Arkansas OPC discipline and the Respondent’s conduct also violated Rules 3.1 and 8.4(d), ORPC. We impose a six-month suspension of the Respondent’s license to practice law in Oklahoma, commencing on September 27, 2024.”
According to Martindale.com, Ms. Boyd attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, graduating in 2007. She acquired her law license in Oklahoma in 2010.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
