Iowa Lawyer Suspended for Excessive Billing of Defender’s Office

An Iowa attorney working as a contractor for the state public defender’s office was suspended for a year by the state high court for what was found to be excessive billing.

The Iowa Supreme Court Grievance Committee recommended a 60-day suspension for attorney Jennifer Meyer but the high court disagreed. “In our view, the commission underestimated the dollar amount Meyer overcharged the SPD,” the court’s May 15 opinion said.

In 2013, the state public defender raised concerns about Meyer’s billing practices and mileage expenses, the court said.

For instance, he noticed that she had billed that office 24 hours or ...