Sheridan's Case

BRODERICK, j.

In August 1999, the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct (Committee) filed a petition with this court seeking a public censure against the respondent, William C. Sheridan. The petition was referred to a Judicial Referee (O’Neil, J.) for hearing and recommendation. By agreement, the matter was submitted to the referee on the pleadings, an agreed statement of facts and memoranda of law. The respondent did not contest that his conduct in the handling of a probate estate violated various rules of professional conduct, but argued that a public censure was not justified and…