WYOMING – The Wyoming Supreme Court today issued an order disbarring Casper lawyer Traci E. Mears.
The order was based upon Mears’ fraudulent use of a debit card after the death of a friend. Mears used the deceased friend’s debit card to make purchases and to pay for veterinary services for her dog. The fraudulent charges totaled $762.85. Mears, who acted as the attorney for the personal representative of the deceased friend’s estate, later attempted to collect an unreasonable fee in the probate proceeding.
The Board of Professional Responsibility of the Wyoming State Bar found that Mears’ conduct violated several Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct including duty to safeguard client property, meritorious claims and contentions), criminal act reflecting adversely on lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness, conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.
The Board recommended Mears’ disbarment. In accepting the Board’s recommendation, the Court ordered Mears to pay an administrative fee of $750.00 and costs of $2,448.25 to the Wyoming State Bar.
Mears practiced occasionally in Teton County.
