PURSUANT to a previous federal court order directing him to file a monthly status report in his petition for reinstatement, attorney Stephen C. Woodruff told the District Court for the NMI that three Superior Court judges have issued notices of recusal in his local court reinstatement proceedings.
They are Associate Judges Wesley Bogdan, Kenneth L. Govendo, and Teresa Kim-Tenorio.
Judge Bogdan, in his notice of recusal, stated that Woodruff is “a [longtime] friend with whom he has previously discussed his [Woodruff’s] disbarment.”
Judge Govendo said, “The petitioner was disbarred by retired Judge David A. Wiseman. During his deliberations, Judge Wiseman conferred with the undersigned on at least three occasions. Since he was a colleague making a difficult decision, the undersigned had no hesitancy in assisting him.”
For her part, Judge Kim-Tenorio stated that she must recuse herself from handling the proceedings since she was on the panel that suspended Woodruff in federal court.
Following the recusals of the three judges, the CNMI Supreme Court appointed Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho as special master to determine the following:
• Whether Woodruff recognizes the wrongfulness and seriousness of the conduct for which he was disbarred.
• Whether, notwithstanding the conduct for which he was disciplined, Woodruff has the requisite honesty and integrity to practice law.
• Whether Woodruff has engaged in the unauthorized practice of law during the period of his suspension.
A status conference has been set for Thursday, April 22, before Judge Camacho at 3:30 p.m. at Marianas Business Plaza.
Woodruff said his character and fitness review conducted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners remains ongoing.
Woodruff has petitioned for reinstatement to practice law in federal court.
In his petition, he said the term of suspension in the two disciplinary cases expired on March 27, 2019, and that he is now eligible for reinstatement to practice law.
According to Woodruff, following a period of probation, he was restored to unrestricted practice of law in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Nov. 12, 2020.
Woodruff was disbarred by the CNMI Superior Court on June 7, 2013.
The disbarment order was affirmed by the CNMI Supreme Court on Dec. 9, 2015.
On Dec. 24, 2015, the District Court for the NMI issued a notice of intent to impose reciprocal discipline and order to show cause.
On Jan. 22, 2016 the CNMI Supreme Court denied Woodruff’s petition for rehearing.
On March 9, 2018, the district court disbarred Woodruff from practicing law in the district.
One of his former clients had accused Woodruff of ethical violations of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
According to the complaint, Woodruff had missed the deadline for filing his client’s opening brief without having requested an extension of time, and he also failed to follow up effectively on transcript requests with the district court reporter.
There were also more than a dozen other allegations of similar ethical misconduct in other cases, including nine disciplinary complaints against Woodruff, court documents stated.
In his defense, Woodruff said the courts “procedurally defaulted” on him, adding that he did not have the opportunity to confront the evidence against him, and that he was denied due process.
Stephen C. Woodruff
