On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals suspended Washington attorney Darlene C. Jackson for disclosing confidential details from a sealed settlement Court order in a Twitter post.
The case is titled “In re Darlene C. Jackson,” and was brought by the Disciplinary Counsel, case no. 22-BD-020.
According to court documents, Jackson was accused of issuing a subpoena during a stay of discovery in a federal court civil action, filing an improper motion for substitution of parties that disclosed minors’ personal information, filing an improper motion to withdraw as counsel, and disclosing the contents of a sealed settlement agreement. Additionally, Jackson is charged with failing to respond to investigative inquiries from Disciplinary Counsel and a Board order compelling a response. Furthermore, Jackson was accused of failing to attend a scheduled status conference, filing improper motions, and not complying with a Board order to respond to Disciplinary Counsel’s inquiries.
Following a hearing, the Hearing Committee concluded in its Report and Recommendation that Jackson had indeed violated the rules of professional conduct and recommended a 60-day suspension from the practice of law, with reinstatement conditioned upon proof of fitness to resume the practice of law.
Subsequently, upon reviewing the case, the Board on Professional Responsibility agreed with the Hearing Committee’s factual findings, supported their legal conclusions, and recommended the proposed sanction.
Accordingly, the Court ruled against Jackson and ordered her suspension on an interim basis pending final action on the Board on Professional Responsibility’s June 30, 2023, recommendation of a 60-day suspension.
Ms. Darlene C. Jackson practices in Washington and she has been admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, license no. 445931.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
