Missouri Supreme Court Disbars Public Defender Matthew Alexander Perry After 50-Plus Missed Court Dates
Missouri's Supreme Court ordered on Oct. 20 that public defender Matthew Alexander Perry be disbarred. Court records show Perry failed to appear in court for his clients more than 50 times over two years.
Perry worked for the public defender's office, which represents defendants who cannot afford a lawyer. Local station KOMU previously reported that cases he handled were delayed for months as hearings were repeatedly rescheduled because of his absences.
The state Supreme Court found his conduct violated professional rules and ordered disbarment. Public defenders provide legal aid to low-income defendants, and an attorney's repeated absences directly affect clients' right to a timely trial. (GSM, based on reporting by ABA Journal)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons（CC0，KTrimble 摄）
