State Bar of Texas v. Edwards

OPINION

WARREN, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment finding appellee, an attorney, guilty of professional misconduct and suspending her “from the practice of law before the courts of Texas for a period of one year.”

Our sole question is whether a trial judge may impose a sanction for misconduct not provided for in the State Bar Rules. We hold that he may not.

Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. Title 14, Art. 12, § 28 provides:

If the court shall find from the evidence in a case tried without a jury, or from the verdict of a jury if there be one, that the defendant is guilty of no professional…