On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an order suspending attorney Jason Lawrence Spangehl from practicing law for six months, but stayed the suspension in its entirety for a two-year period of conditional probation.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Jason Lawrence Spangehl,” with case number 2024-07678.
The disciplinary action stems from a petition filed by the Administrator of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) on November 3, 2025. The petition detailed allegations of misconduct, including neglecting a client’s immigration case and making false statements about a judge on social media.
According to the ARDC’s petition, Spangehl agreed to represent a client in June 2023 for an immigration matter, specifically preparing and filing a Form I-130 (petition for alien relatives) for her husband and his children in Jamaica. The agreed-upon flat fee for this service was $5,000. Between June and November 2023, the client paid Spangehl $3,500 towards the fee and gave him a $2,140 check for the filing fee.
The petition stated that on or about November 3, 2023, the client signed Form I-130 in Spangehl’s office. However, on November 8, 2023, Spangehl falsely told his client that he had already filed the form. Between November 8 and December 14, 2023, the client repeatedly requested a copy of the tracking number for Form I-130 and a receipt for the $3,500 paid, but Spangehl did not provide them.
On December 15, 2023, Spangehl informed the client that he had not filed Form I-130 and was no longer authorized to practice law in Illinois due to noncompliance with minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements. He returned the check for the filing fee but did not promptly refund the $3,500. The client had to hire another attorney to file the form.
In a separate matter, the ARDC petition stated that in January 2024, Spangehl made a post on his Facebook page about a local judge, falsely stating that the judge was a traitor to the Constitution of the United States and should be immediately disbarred. Spangehl had never appeared before the judge as an attorney.
The ARDC found Spangehl engaged in conduct that violated the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (2010), including failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, failing to comply with reasonable requests for information, making false statements about the integrity of a judge, and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
The ARDC petition noted mitigating factors, including Spangehl’s remorse, lack of prior disciplinary record, and restitution to the client. A board-certified psychiatrist evaluated Spangehl and diagnosed him with medical conditions, finding a causal connection between those conditions and his misconduct. While the medical conditions have been resolved and are currently in remission, the psychiatrist recommended continued treatment.
Aggravating factors included the intentional nature of Spangehl’s misconduct, his delay in handling the immigration matter, his failure to communicate with his client, and the false statements he made about the status of the family’s immigration matter.
The Supreme Court’s order stipulates that Spangehl must comply with several conditions during his probation, including adhering to the Illinois Supreme Court Rules on Admission and Discipline of Attorneys and the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, cooperating with the Administrator in investigations, reimbursing the Commission for costs, notifying the Administrator of any arrest or charge, attending meetings with a probation officer, submitting quarterly reports, notifying the Administrator of any change of address, submitting to random substance testing, continuing psychotherapy, complying with treatment recommendations, engaging the services of a qualified mental health professional for intensive psychotherapy, providing mental health providers with a release to disclose information to the Administrator, and abstaining from the use of alcohol, marijuana, and any unprescribed controlled substances.
If Spangehl violates any of these terms, his six-month suspension will commence and continue until further order of the Court.
According to Martindale, Mr. Spangehl acquired his law license in Illinois in 2010.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
