On Friday, August 9, 2024, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania granted a Joint Petition in Support of Discipline on Consent, suspending Stephen William Dotts from practicing law for one year and one day.
The case is entitled “Office of Disciplinary Counsel v. Stephen William Dotts,” with case no. 3 DB 2024.
The order stemmed from a disciplinary case filed against Dotts regarding misconduct that occurred in September 2023. According to the Joint Petition, Dotts was administratively suspended from practicing law in Pennsylvania on September 8, 2023, for failing to comply with annual registration requirements. However, on September 11 and 12, 2023, Dotts appeared in court and represented clients in criminal cases in Chester County Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court while knowing he was suspended. Dotts did not notify the judges, clients, or opposing counsel of his suspension status.
Dotts admitted to his misconduct in an online complaint he filed with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel on September 12, 2023, the day after his courtroom appearances while suspended. In January 2024, the ODC filed a Petition for Discipline against Dotts with the Disciplinary Board. Dotts failed to file an Answer to the Petition. As a result, all factual allegations in the Petition were deemed admitted according to the Disciplinary Rules.
A disciplinary hearing was held on June 20, 2024, where Dotts appeared and admitted to the rule violations. He testified that he has been sober for nine months, has been attending alcohol and substance abuse treatment, and is being treated for depression and anxiety. However, Dotts failed to participate meaningfully in the disciplinary proceedings until his appearance at the hearing.
Considering the admitted misconduct and Dotts’ failure to fully cooperate, the ODC and Dotts filed a Joint Petition on Consent recommending a suspension of one year and one day. A three-member panel of the Disciplinary Board reviewed the Petition and filed a recommendation with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
On August 9, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an order accepting the recommendation to suspend Dotts for one year and one day.
The Disposition states:
“AND NOW, on this 9th day of August 2024, upon consideration of the Recommendation of the Three-Member Panel of the Disciplinary Board, the Joint Petition in Support of Discipline on Consent is granted, and Stephen William Dotts is suspended on consent from the Bar of this Commonwealth for a period of one year and one day”
According to padisciplinaryboard.org, Mr. William acquired his law license in Pennsylvania in 2017.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
