Attorney Garrett Slyva of Aitkin, MN; ethical troll

The state of North Dakota presented Garrett Slyva with a law license in 2020 after he graduated from Suffolk University School of Law.

The Disciplinary Board found Garrett guilty of engaging in the following misconduct, all of which took place while Garrett worked for the Fargo Public Defender’s Office.

• Engaged in a conflict of interest involving jailed female client
• Placed his arm around a client at the jail
• As a result of this incident, the Public Defender’s office prohibited Garret from having that type of face-to-face in-person meeting with any clients
• Despite this restriction, Garrett had the same type of face-to-face in-person visit with the client in this matter and other clients on February 9, 2022 at the Cass County  jail
• The client was uncomfortable because of Garrett’s questions about her relationship status and because he asked her on a date
• Garrett told the client that their conversation should “stay here because I have control of your next court  date” 
• Because the client was uncomfortable with Garrett,  she asked the corrections deputies to listen to her  phone calls with him
• Garrett’s supervisor at the Public Defender office testified the physical contact with a female client was inappropriate and alarming because it was a female client who was incarcerated, and therefore,   vulnerable

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the enablers for Attorney Misfits sitting on the North Dakota Supreme Court punished Garrett by gifting him with a complimentary reprimand.

As we speak (ca. March 2024), Garrett practices his so-called brand of law with the Aitkin County Attorney’s Office at 209 Second Street NW in Aitkin, Minnesota.