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STATE OF MINNESOTA IN SUPREME COURT A08-2297

In re Petition for Disciplinary Action against William F. Jones, a Minnesota Attorney, Registration No. 146444.

ORDER

On December 30, 2008, the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility filed a petition for disciplinary action alleging that respondent William F. Jones had committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline following respondent's felony conviction for filing a false federal income tax return, a violation of Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 8.4(b) and (c). With the petition for disciplinary action, the Director filed a stipulation for discipline in which respondent admitted the allegations of the petition and waived his procedural rights under Rule 14, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility (RLPR). The parties jointly recommended that the

appropriate discipline is an extension for a minimum of three years of respondent's current suspension. We have stated that the presumptive discipline for a felony conviction is disbarment. See In re Perez, 688 N.W.2d 562, 567-69 (Minn. 2004). By order filed on January 21, 2009, we ordered the parties to show cause why respondent should not be disbarred and to provide the court with additional information about the circumstances of 1

respondent's conviction.

The parties filed supplemental memoranda on February 5

and 11, 2009, explaining that respondent's felony conviction results from the filing of a single federal tax return and is unrelated to respondent's practice of law, and stating that no clients or client funds were involved. Based upon all the files, records, and proceedings in the case, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that respondent William F. Jones is indefinitely suspended from the practice of law with no right to petition for a minimum of three years from the date of filing of this order. Reinstatement is conditioned upon compliance with Rule 18(a)

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