On Monday, February 6, 2023, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma ordered the immediate suspension from the practice of law of Wellston attorney Debra Campbell over her arrest on drug and firearm charges.
The case is styled State of Oklahoma ex rel. Oklahoma Bar Association v. Debra Campbell.
The Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) filed a verified complaint against Campbell and requested Campbell’s emergency interim suspension from the practice of law.
In the verified complaint, the OBA asserts that it has received sufficient evidence demonstrating that Campbell has violated Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 1.16, and 8.4(a)(b)(c) and (d) of the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct.
The Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct can be found here.
The filing states:
“The OBA details in the verified complaint the specific allegations arising from the counts filed against the Respondent. These include matters wherein the Respondent was arrested at her home in Lincoln County, Oklahoma in State of Oklahoma v. Debra Dawn Campbell, CF-2022-290, on December 3, 2022, and was charged with the following felonies: Trafficking in Illegal Drugs in violation of 63 O.S. § 2-415; Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Distribute in violation of 63 O.S. § 2-401; Acquiring Proceeds from Drug Activity in violation of 63 O.S. § 1287; and Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony in violation of 21 O.S. § 1287. Respondent is also alleged to have violated the terms of her pretrial release contact conditions.”
The filing continues:
“Complainant also submits that two additional grievances have been filed against Respondent by former clients. The first grievance alleges that Respondent neglected her former client in his criminal cases in Creek and Lincoln counties, despite being paid in full, which resulted in ineffective assistance of counsel. The second grievance alleges that Respondent failed to communicate with her former client in his felony case in Oklahoma County despite being paid $10,000 to represent him.”
Campbell neither filed a response to the verified complaint nor to the application for emergency interim suspension and the show cause order.
Based on the foregoing, the Court deemed it appropriate to enter an Order of Emergency Interim Suspension suspending Campbell from the practice of law in relation to the latter’s conduct in violation of the above-cited Rules of Professional Conduct, and because said conduct poses an immediate threat of substantial and irreparable public harm.
The disposition reads:
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Respondent, Debra Campbell, is immediately suspended from the practice of law, pursuant to Rule 6.2A of the RGDP.”
This matter was in relation to Campbell’s arrest on December 3, 2022, after the Lincoln County deputies raided Campbell’s house by virtue of a search warrant. The police seized processed marijuana, meth, guns, a loaded gun, and more than $4,300 in cash. The police also found personal items belonging to Campbell’s alleged boyfriend and client, according to a local news report.
Prior to the suspension, Ms. Debra Campbell practiced in Wellston. She has been licensed in Oklahoma.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
