Former Breaux Bridge city court judge and lawyer disbarred
A former city court judge and lawyer has been disbarred from practicing law in Louisiana ever again. After facing multiple charges, including alleged conspiracy and felony theft, prostitution, and obstruction of justice; the Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that his license will be revoked.
According to the Louisiana Supreme Court, the disciplinary action for disbarment arises from formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel against Soileau and alleging that his conduct violated the Rules of Professional Conduct.
In 2018, W. Glenn Soileau was booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center and transferred for processing in Lafayette Parish on 14 counts of conspiracy and 14 counts of theft by fraud.
Before these charges, Soileau faced federal convictions in 1987 and 1997, and formal DWI charges in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
The ODC hearing committee determined Soileau violated duties owed to the public, the legal system, and the legal profession. Official records reflect that he acted intentionally, causing actual harm to the public and the reputation of the legal profession.
Before addressing the most current charges by the ODC, the court reviewed a long list of prior disciplinary history and charges of judicial misconduct, including:
While serving as a judge of the Breaux Bridge City Court, during the 1986 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, Soileau committed battery upon a law enforcement official and directed verbal abuse and obscenities toward numerous people at the Crawfish Festival Headquarters and grounds. This resulted in his plea of no contest to simple battery and disturbing the peace.
According to official documents, Soileau then engaged in an altercation during a game of pool at a bar in Breaux Bridge which necessitated the response of police, during which he told the police officer that he had no authority to intervene because he “ran the town.” The victim pressed charges of simple battery resulting in Soileau's arrest. After being released on a personal recognizance bond, Soileau then filed charges of simple battery against the victim in his own court and fixed bond at $1,000.
In 1987, Soileau was charged with judicial misconduct and suspended for 6 months without pay after issuing an arrest warrant for the individual he was opposing in civil litigation for criminal charges instituted by his client in the civil litigation; and filing a suit on open account in his own court in an attempt to collect attorney’s fees due him for legal services rendered.
In 1997, he pleaded guilty in federal court to three Class B misdemeanor hunting violations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He was sentenced to serve six months in prison, followed by a 5-year probationary period with conditions, the maximum penalty for a Class B misdemeanor. The federal judge concluded that Soileau had intentionally attempted to mislead the court concerning the relevant facts of the prior convictions.
On August 7, 2017, he was arrested in Lafayette and charged with DWI following a traffic accident. He was placed under arrest for suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicating substance and taken to the police department, where his name was entered into the NCIC computer. This search revealed that he had previously been arrested for DWI on February 28, 2013, and August 1, 2015. These criminal charges were apparently dismissed.
On March 1, 2018, a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of pandering, a felony, letting premises for prostitution, a misdemeanor, prostitution, and obstruction of justice.
In May 2022, the ODC filed formal charges against Soileau pertaining to his actions, alleging his conduct, as mentioned above, violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. The disciplinary procedures state Soileau failed to answer the charges.
Also, no formal hearing was held, but the parties were given an opportunity to file with the hearing committee showing written arguments and documentary evidence on the issue of sanctions. Soileau filed nothing for the committee’s consideration.
The ODC found that his misconduct is "so egregious that it warrants permanent disbarment." The committee concluded that the respondent is "ethically and morally unfit for the practice of law and that there is no reasonable expectation of significant rehabilitation in his character in the future". Accordingly, the committee recommended he be permanently disbarred.
His name will be removed from the roll of attorneys and his license to practice law in Louisiana will be revoked.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Breaux bridge former judge, and attorney disbarred
