On Friday, October 20, 2023, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania temporarily suspended attorney Christian John Martini following his involvement in a minor motor vehicle accident.
The case is titled ‘Office of the Disciplinary Counsel v. Christopher John Martini’ with case no. 140 DB 2023.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel filed a petition for an emergency temporary suspension order, and Martini has submitted a notice of no-contest to the temporary suspension. The court has considered these submissions and has decided to suspend Martini temporarily.
This matter stems from an incident on August 25, 2023, where Attorney Martini figured in a minor motor accident. According to the news, Pennsylvania Judicial Portal has it that Attorney Martini currently has pending misdemeanor charges in Elk County of DUI with the highest rate of alcohol content (BAC) 0.16+ and DUI general impairment/driving safely and a summary offense of accident damage to unattended vehicle or property.
This resulted in an order by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for the temporary suspension of Attorney Martini. The order states that Attorney Martini will remain on temporary suspension until further action is taken by the court. It requires the lawyer to comply with the provisions of Pa.R.D.E. 217. The President Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Elk and Cameron Counties, the Court of Common Pleas of McKean County, and the Court of Common Pleas of Jefferson County are instructed to take necessary measures to protect the rights of Martini’s clients or fiduciary entities involved.
Attorney Martini is directed to prepare and deliver a complete list of his current clients and entities in which he acts as a fiduciary, including details of funds entrusted to him, their current balance, and the banks and account numbers where the funds are held. This list should be served to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
All financial institutions where Attorney Martini holds fiduciary funds are instructed to freeze those accounts until further action by a court. The order also states that Attorney Martini retains the rights to petition for the dissolution or amendment of this order and to request accelerated disposition of the charges underlying this order.
In part, the disposition reads:
“AND NOW, this 20thday of October 2023, upon consideration of the Office ofDisciplinary Counsel’sPetition for Emergency Temporary Suspension Order and the notice of No-Contest to Temporary Suspension, Christopher JohnMartiniis placed on temporary suspension until further definitive action by this Court.SeePa.R.D.E.208(f)(2). “
According to Avvo, Attorney Christopher John Martini practices in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, having acquired his license to practice in the state in 2015.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
