CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Supreme Court has annulled the law license of New Martinsville attorney H. John Rogers.
In an order handed down Monday the Court found Rogers was dishonest when he filed an involuntary mental hygiene petition against New Martinsville cafe owner Jeffrey Shade.
Rogers claimed Shade was on drugs and had other problems and should be committed. Shade was picked up by sheriff’s deputies and taken to a health care facility where doctors determined the claims were false.
(Read Supreme Court order here.)
Shade claimed Rogers was mad at him because on more than one occasion he told him to leave his cafe because of his behavior.
Rogers later pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor counts in connection with the incident.
The Supreme Court’s Monday order called the decision to annul Rogers’ law license “appropriate.” Further stating:
“Rogers exploited his knowledge of the law and our legal system to carry out a personal vendetta that resulted in a citizen of this state being involuntarily confined in a mental health care facility, we must send a strong message to the bar and to the public that this conduct will not be tolerated.”
Rogers, who has often been a candidate for state political office, can only file for reinstatement of his law license if he undergoes a “comprehensive psychological examination” to see if he’s fit to practice law. The Court says if the license is eventually reinstated Rogers’ law practice would be supervised for one year.