Fair Oaks, CA 95628-4942
30 October 2011 | Active (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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30 September 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 6 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 07-O-12021 |
3 December 1998 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (26 years, 4 months ago) |
September 30, 2011 CHRISTIE BARA MITCHELL-GUTTMAN, 44, of Orangevale was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with a 30-day actual suspension and she was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Sept. 30, 2011. The State Bar Court found that Mitchell-Guttman committed two acts of misconduct in two matters. She failed to perform legal services competently in a divorce matter by not completing the necessary papers or returning a substitution of attorney form. And in another divorce case, Mitchell-Guttman didn’t account for her client’s funds, although the court said it believed she had prepared but never sent an accounting.In mitigation, Mitchell-Guttman had no prior discipline record, had extreme emotional difficulties, performs pro bono work and presented testimony about her good character.Although she originally was charged with misconduct in six matters, the court said it found Mitchell-Guttman’s testimony more credible than that of the State Bar witnesses and it dismissed most of the charges. |