On Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled on charges for attorney discipline against Maplewood attorney Joel S. Ziegler for the latter’s failure to cooperate with disciplinary authorities and for conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.
The case, titled In the Matter of: Joel S. Ziegler, was brought by Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Case #86508.
The charges cited Ziegler’s violations of Rules 8.1b and 8.4d of the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct, which state:
An applicant for admission to the bar, or a lawyer in connection with a bar admission application or in connection with a disciplinary matter, shall not fail to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known by the person to have arisen in the matter, or knowingly fail to respond to a lawful demand for information from an admissions or disciplinary authority, except that this Rule does not require disclosure of information otherwise protected by RPC 1.6.
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.
According to the filing:
The Disciplinary Review Board having filed with the Court its decision in DRB 21-128, concluding on the record certified to the Board pursuant to Rule1:20-4 (f) (default by respondent) that Joel S. Ziegler of Maplewood, who was admitted to the bar of this State in 1966, and who has been suspended from practice since July 6, 2020, should be censured for his violation of RPC 8.1 (b)(failure to cooperate with disciplinary authorities) and RPC 8.4 (d) (conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice);
The Supreme Court of New Jersey, having determined from its review of the matter that a reprimand is the appropriate quantum of discipline for respondent’s unethical conduct.
Dispositive portion of the Order, reads:
“It is ORDERED that Joel S. Ziegler is hereby reprimanded; and it is further
ORDERED that Joel S. Ziegler remain suspended from practice pursuant to the Order of this Court filed June 5, 2020, and that respondent comply with Rule 1:20-20 dealing with suspended attorneys; and it is further
ORDERED that the entire record of this matter be made a permanent part of respondent’s file as an attorney at law of this State; and it is further
ORDERED that respondent reimburse the Disciplinary Oversight Committee for appropriate administrative costs and actual expenses incurred in the prosecution of this matter, as provided in Rule 1:20-17.”
According to LinkedIn, Mr. Ziegler earned his Bachelor of Laws from Seton Hall University School of Law, graduating in 1965. Ziegler practices in Maplewood, New Jersey. He has been licensed in New Jersey, license #22301966.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
