The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board on May 11 dismissed two misconduct charges against Portage attorney Matthew DePerno, related to his representation of a former state lawmaker in the wake of a sex scandal.
DePerno was the Republican candidate for attorney general in 2022, losing to incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel.
A Kalamazoo County panel of the discipline board granted DePerno’s motion for a directed verdict on two misconduct charges brought by the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission, following an earlier evidentiary hearing, but denied DePerno’s request for a directed verdict on a third count. The May 11 hearing on DePerno’s motions was held virtually and made available on the discipline board’s YouTube channel.
The 2023 complaint alleged multiple violations of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys, including filing a frivolous lawsuit, engaging in deceitful conduct, and knowingly making false statements.
The allegations related to various failed legal actions DePerno initiated involving The Detroit News, one of its reporters, a law firm, and a judge in relation to DePerno’s representation of former state Rep. Todd Courser, a Lapeer Republican who resigned from the state House in 2015 amid a sex scandal involving another former Republican lawmaker, Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell.
Courser was sentenced to probation in 2019 after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor related to his conduct attempting to cover up the affair.
The dismissed misconduct counts related to a lawsuit DePerno filed in Washtenaw County against The Detroit News and one of its reporters and a motion DePerno brought to disqualify the judge hearing the case.
“This is about litigation conduct — hard-fought litigation, aggressive litigation,” but not misconduct, DePerno argued before the board May 11.
The board denied DePerno’s motion for a directed verdict on a misconduct count related to a federal action DePerno brought. The panel said it will issue a written opinion and order on the directed verdicts this week and DePerno can present his evidence on the third count at a May 18 hearing.
DePerno separately faces a criminal case in Oakland County, accused of conspiring to illegally access voting machines in the wake of President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to former President Joe Biden.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Board dismisses 2 attorney misconduct counts against Matt DePerno
Reporting by Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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