► Attorney Stephen Allen of Onawa, IA; ethical dwarf Print
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Attorney Stephen Allen of Onawa, IA; ethical dwarf

 
The state of Iowa presented Stephen Whiting Allen with a law license in 1969 after he graduated from the University of Iowa Law School.
 
The Iowa Supreme Court Disciplinary Board found Stephen guilty of the following misconduct.
 
In one matter, Stephen was appointed guardian for his aunt, Louise Gillespie, who at the time was 87-years-old. Stephen was appointed attorney for the guardianship. The petition for guardianship showed that Louse had $50,000 in real property, personal property of $500,000, and that she received an annual income of $35,000.
 
Two months after the guardianship was set up, Stephen paid himself $3,500 in attorney fees; however, the payment was without court approval. A month later, Stephen applied to the court for the $3,500, but the court only approved $2,630 and disallowed $900 in fees for travel time.
 
Three years after the guardianship was set up, Louise died. Stephen then prepared a final report that showed that he paid himself $46,359. In his report, he described some of the payments as fees, advance fees and gifts. $32,800 had no designation at all. All of the expenditures were without prior court approval.
 
Shortly after Louise’s death, the probate court held a hearing in regards to Stephen’s unauthorized payments to himself. Stephen’s improper conduct led the court to order that he reimburse the guardianship the $46,359 that he had unlawfully paid to himself.
 
As a consequence of his misconduct, the enablers for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Iowa Supreme Court punished Stephen by gifting him with a complimentary 1-year suspension of his law license.
 
As we speak (ca. January 2014), Stephen practices at 906 9th Street in Onawa, Iowa.