Daniel Mark Chesnut was admitted to the California Bar 23rd April 1991, but is now resigned. Daniel graduated from Thomas Jefferson SOL.

Lawyer Information

NameDaniel Mark Chesnut
First Admitted23 April 1991 (33 years ago)
StatusResigned
Bar Number152136

Contact

Current Email[email protected]
Phone Number562-863-1558

Schools

Law SchoolThomas Jefferson SOL (San Diego CA)
Undergraduate SchoolSee Registration Card

Address

Current Addressbn, PO Box 711
Sun City, CA 92586
Map

History

11 May 2002Resigned (21 years, 11 months ago)
Resignation with charges pending 02-Q-11276
12 March 2002Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 1 month ago)
Vol.inactive(tender of resign.w/charges) 02-Q-11276
29 October 2001Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 6 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 00-O-11651
29 April 2001Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 96-O-00544
27 April 2000Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 96-O-03425 (24 years ago)
20 November 1996Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 96-O-00544 (27 years, 5 months ago)
9 June 1996Active (27 years, 10 months ago)
25 May 1996Not eligible to practice law in CA (27 years, 11 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 94-O-13107
23 April 1991Admitted to the State Bar of California (33 years ago)

Discipline Summaries

August 25, 2001

DANIEL MARK CHESTNUT [#152136], 49, of Norwalk was suspended for four years, stayed, and placed on four years of probation with an actual 18-month suspension. The order took effect Aug. 25, 2001.

Chestnut stipulated to nine counts of misconduct in five consolidated cases.

In a divorce matter, Chestnut’s client signed a fee agreement which capped his fee at $1,500 and did not set a fee for paralegal work. He later tried to collect costs and attorney’s fees totalling more than $13,000, even though the court ordered his client’s husband to pay him $2,000 in fees and costs.

In addition, he did not finalize the divorce for more than three years, responded to only one of 12 phone calls from his client and when he was fired, he failed to provide the file to the client’s new lawyer.

He handled matters for two clients while he was suspended from practice, did not release another client’s papers when he hired a new lawyer, did not respond to four messages from another client and communicated with a represented party.

Chestnut was disciplined twice previously.

April 29, 2001

DANIEL MARK CHESTNUT [#152136], 48, of Norwalk was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with a six-month actual suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. The order took effect April 29, 2001.

The State Bar Court’s review department upheld a hearing judge’s finding that Chestnut misled judges in both California and Texas in his client’s divorce proceedings.

Chestnut, who represented the wife in the dissolution, said he went to a rental property owned by the couple and served divorce papers on the husband. An individual living at the property said he did not hear or see anyone at the property that day.

When Chestnut saw the husband at a hearing in Texas, he told his client her husband “looked different.”

The bar court had found Chestnut’s testimony not credible and found that he made false statements and committed acts of moral turpitude. It recommended he be suspended for two years, stayed, and placed on three years of probation with a nine-month actual suspension.

Chestnut argued that there is no evidence he made false statements and that even if he did, the alleged misrepresentations were not relevant to the family law proceedings. The review department rejected his arguments and found that he made untrue statements, but reduced the recommended discipline to a six-month actual suspension.

Chestnut also was disciplined in 1995 for engaging in misleading acts — he filed a personal injury lawsuit on his own behalf and did not disclose in response to an interrogatory that he had received prior medical treatment for chronic knee pain. He also failed to pay $3,320 in court-ordered discovery sanctions.

In mitigation, Chestnut participated in extracurricular school activities and the Army Reserve, and his character witnesses presented an extraordinary demonstration of his good character.

May 25, 1996

DANIEL MARK CHESNUT [#152136], 43, of Norwalk was suspended for one year, stayed, and placed on probation for one year with an actual suspension of 15 days, effective May 25, 1996. He was ordered to make restitution and pass the CPRE.

In 1992, Chesnut filed a personal injury matter on his own behalf against a car rental agency.

Because he failed to respond to discovery, appear for his deposition and comply with a court order, monetary sanctions of $3,320 were imposed on five separate occasions. However, he failed to pay the court.

In addition, he failed to disclose relevant evidence in discovery.

In mitigation, his misconduct did not result in harm to any clients.

Chesnut has been a member of the bar since 1991.