‘Flippant’ 81-Year-Old Iowa Attorney Suspended

An ailing, elderly, Iowa lawyer has been suspended by the state’s highest court for a series of probate matter delinquencies and for his bad attitude.

Attorney Duane J. Goedken’s delinquencies, coupled with his ‘flippant’ attitude toward the court, warranted a 90-day suspension, the Iowa Supreme Court said, though it called the term “indefinite.” Among his transgressions, he told an attorney grievance panel that he had “better things to do” with his time than file “silly” reports.

Goedken, 81, was late in filing nine court-ordered reports while handling one trust and five estate matters, according to the state’s top court. After ...