San Diego, CA 92143
29 June 2013 | Resigned (11 years, 10 months ago) Resignation, no charges pending |
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8 July 1998 | Active (26 years, 10 months ago) |
12 October 1995 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (29 years, 7 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 95-C-12630 |
12 October 1995 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (29 years, 7 months ago) Interim suspension after conviction 95-C-12630 |
7 June 1995 | Conviction record transmitted to State Bar Court 95-C-12630 (29 years, 11 months ago) |
2 August 1990 | Active (34 years, 9 months ago) |
30 July 1990 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (34 years, 9 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
10 October 1989 | Active (35 years, 7 months ago) |
24 July 1989 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (35 years, 9 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
7 January 1971 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (54 years, 4 months ago) |
July 8, 1998 SANDRA SUE SAWYER [#48609], 55, of Lake Forest was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an 18-month actual suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. Credit for the actual suspension will be given for an interim suspension which began Oct. 12, 1995. Because the interim suspension exceeded the actual probation, it was terminated, and Sawyer is on active status. The order took effect July 8, 1998. In 1994, Sawyer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of being an accessory after the fact in connection with the submission of a loan application containing false statements.The State Bar Court found that her conduct constituted moral turpitude, and recommended five years of probation and a three-year actual suspension. Sawyer sought review, challenging some of the court's findings and arguing that a three-year suspension was too harsh.The review department agreed, and reduced the recommended discipline to 18 months actual suspension. With credit for the interim suspension already served, Sawyer was restored to active status.Sawyer's problems stemmed from her involvement with various investments in the late 1980s. She provided a businessman with whom she worked with the first page of what she said were her federal income tax returns for 1982 through 1985. However, she had never filed the tax returns.The businessman submitted Sawyer's financial documents to at least three prospective lending banks; only one loan - to improve and operate a turkey farm in Nebraska - materialized. However, the bank asked for more financial information and Sawyer submitted a then current financial statement reflecting a net worth of $12 million. When the contract with the farm operator was cancelled, Sawyer told the bank she could not make payments on the loan. The bank foreclosed and took over the turkey farm.Sawyer argued that she did not authorize the delivery of her tax returns to the banks in question, that she acted in good faith in seeking the bank loan, and that the hearing judge erred in assuming the figures in the financial statements were false.The review department, however, accepted the hearing judge's findings.In mitigation, Sawyer practiced law for 16 years without any discipline.But the review judge found that she "significantly harmed" the bank, even though she made court-ordered restitution of $50,000. |