 Hi, I'm David Cantor with the Law Offices of David Michael Cantor and welcome to my blog. As many of you know, I've been following the Andrew Thomas and Lisa Abishon disbarment proceedings. Well, yesterday, December 19, 2011, closing arguments were held in their case. After that, each side was to submit a proposed order and some arguments as if the panel was ruling in their favor. Now on the website for azcourts.gov is a 158 page Independent Bar Council's proposed report and order imposing sanctions on Abishon and Thomas. Now if you go to arizonacourts.gov, go to the right side, there's a news tab and there's an asterisk and it says December 19, 2011, new documents available in Thomas Attorney Discipline Matter. Click on that, then it goes to a media room and then you'll see another asterisk or you see in quotes high profile case update December 19, 2011. The first link has to do with closing arguments. The second link says IBC findings of fact conclusion of law and you click on that and it'll take you to a PDF which will get you this 158 pages. It's also on our website if you'd like to go and review it. Now what's interesting is there's a third asterisk that says new and it doesn't link to anything and we assume that is either going to be one of several documents. Because the Independent Council filed this, Respondents Council has till January 16th, that's Thomas and Abishon's council to file their response in independent order. 15 days after that is the deadline which would be January 31st for Independent Bar Council to file their reply. And after all that's done, within 30 days the hearing panel has to rule, 30 days after January 31st is roughly March 2nd. So there will be an answer or a ruling by March 2nd. My guess is exactly March 2nd. What's interesting is in this Independent Bar Council's ruling is that they cite that Fed and state laws were violated by Thomas. They state that perjury state law that he lied during the course of the hearing and they state that he violated the First Amendment rights of a judge which is federal law. Now they claim five aggravating factors against Thomas. Dishonest and selfish motive, multiple offenses, bad faith obstruction of the disciplinary proceedings by intentionally failing to comply with the rules or orders of the disciplinary agency, refusal to acknowledge wrongful nature of conduct and substantial experience in the law. Now his only mitigating factor is no previous discipline. Now if you read through this, it's thorough. This Colorado attorney and his group who were the Independent Bar Councils did in my opinion a very nice job. I agree with what they say but again that's just my opinion. Now we'll see what happens when Thomas's lawyer, Brian Hollahan, files their response and we'll read through that and we'll do another blog and post it on our website and then we'll see what the Independent Bar Council's reply is. My position is from what I've seen and what I know, I think that Independent Council's correct. I agree with their findings and I agree that both Abashon and Thomas should be disbarred. Now as far as Rachel Alexander, they recommend a three month suspension. I'm not sure if I agree with that. I haven't really reviewed her facts. But that's what I think. Tell me what you think.