On Friday, December 16, 2022, the Supreme Court of Louisiana ordered the interim suspension of New Orleans attorney Virgil Maxey Wheeler III in consideration of the Petition filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
The case is styled “In Re: Virgil Maxey Wheeler III ” and was brought by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC), under case no. 2022-B-1779.
On December 6, 2022, Wheeler pled guilty to four charges of indecent behavior involving a juvenile. Because of his plea deal, the original charges of sexual battery were reduced and he agreed to serve five years of probation.
The ODC then submitted a petition for interim suspension to which Wheeler agreed.
The Court, after its review of the petition, entered its Order placing Wheeler on interim suspension.
The Disposition reads:
“IT IS ORDERED that Virgil Maxey Wheeler III, Louisiana Bar Roll number 14492, be and he hereby is suspended from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19, pending further orders of this court. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 26(E), this order is effective immediately.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that necessary disciplinary proceedings be instituted in accordance with Supreme Court Rule XIX, §§ 11 and 19.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr. Wheeler graduated from Tulane University Law School in 1986. Wheeler was a former deacon at St. Francis Xavier Church in Old Metairie, prior to the suspension. He has been licensed in Louisiana.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
