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SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 98-B-0078 IN RE: DOUGLAS C. ELLIS ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS PER CURIAM* This attorney disciplinary matter arises from two counts of formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, Douglas C. Ellis, an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Louisiana. respondent violated Rules 1.1, 1.3, The charges allege 3.4(b)(c) and

1.4,

8.4(a)(b)(c)(d) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The record indicates respondent was contacted by a

personal friend who owned a restaurant.

Respondent agreed to The

represent the client in litigation involving the restaurant.1

litigation proceeded slowly, and the client apparently became increasingly dissatisfied with the delay, pressuring respondent to move the case along. During this time, respondent was diagnosed with cancer. He began experimental chemotherapy, which did not end until

December 1993.

However, respondent did not advise his client of

his medical problems, nor did he attempt to withdraw from the case. Meanwhile, the client continued to press respondent about the status of the case. On November 2, 1993, apparently in an

attempt to pacify his client, respondent prepared a falsified judgment in his client's favor, purportedly under the signature of a judge from the 22nd Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Tammany. Later, respondent advised his client that the defendants However, by the fall of

had taken an appeal from the "judgment."

1995, the client again became impatient about the progress of the litigation. In September 1995, respondent prepared a second

*

Victory, J. not on panel.

Rule IV, Part 2,

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