District of Columbia Court of Appeals disbars Baltimore attorney David Patrick Kardian over possession of child pornography conviction

On Thursday, November 10, 2022, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ordered the disbarment of Baltimore attorney David Patrick Kardian in consideration of the accurate copy of the order from the State of Maryland, which disbarred him from the practice of law.

The case, titled In Re David Patrick Kardian was brought by the Disciplinary Counsel. Case #DDN2020-D194.

The following are as summarized from the filing:

On September 2, 2022, the Court suspended Mr. Kardian and directed him to show cause why reciprocal discipline should not be imposed. Kardian filed his D.C. Bar R XI § 14(g) affidavit) on October 18, 2022.

The Disciplinary Counsel filed its motion to late file the lodged statement regarding reciprocal discipline to which Kardian has not filed a response thereto.

Kardian was arrested on April  2019 for possession of child pornography in the unit block of Old Station Road in Severna Park, Maryland. He was disbarred by consent on June 10, 2020, for committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as an attorney and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. Respondent pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in violation of Maryland Code Annotated, Criminal Law Article, Section 11-208.

Based on the foregoing facts, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled against the Respondent and thereby imposed the same sanction as that of Maryland.

The disposition reads:

“ORDERED that Disciplinary Counsel’s motion for leave to late file the statement regarding reciprocal discipline is granted and the lodged statement is filed. It is

FURTHER ORDERED that David Patrick Kardian is hereby disbarred from the practice of law in the District of Columbia, nunc pro tunc to October 18, 2022. In addition to the other requirements for reinstatement, Mr. Kardian must be reinstated by the state of Maryland prior to filing a petition for reinstatement in this jurisdiction.”

Prior to the disbarment, Mr. David Patrick Kardian practiced in Baltimore, Maryland. He had been licensed in the District of Columbia and Maryland. 

A copy of the original filing can be found here.