State Supreme Court reprimands attorney
Photo 
Trish Arreazola
MADISON — A Janesville attorney has been reprimanded for failing to act on behalf of her client, forcing the client to stay imprisoned months longer than his sentence required.
Trish Arreazola was publicly reprimanded by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on March 30.
According to the reprimand:
Arreazola was appointed public defender in 2003 to a client facing charges in Dane and Columbia counties. A "significant gap" existed between the time the client completed his Columbia County sentence and the time he was sentenced in Dane County, and the client sought credit for time served.
Arreazola prepared a draft motion but never filed it, even though she told the client she did.
The client made several attempts by phone and letter to contact Arreazola in 2007 and 2008, and she rarely responded. Eventually, the state Public Defender's Office made an emergency appointment of new counsel.
"As a consequence of (Arreazola's) failure to take meaningful action on behalf of her client, the client remained incarcerated months longer than his sentence required," the reprimand states.
It is Arreazola’s first discipline from the Supreme Court.
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Apr 17, 2009 at 8:36 a.m.
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Devilsadvocate- You have got to be looking at the wrong picture. Are you sure you aren't looking at an ad in your browser?
Apr 16, 2009 at 11:12 a.m.
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By your logic then Casey Anthony should go free.
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:59 a.m.
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Think of all the crime the guy didn't commit during his extra period of incarceration. All this talk of disbarment...come on...she's really cute. Cute girls and harsh punishment just don't go well together :)
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:28 a.m.
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Yes, I would think he could sue her for malpractice.
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:07 a.m.
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Just goes to show; you'll get no more than you pay for, and in this case, maybe even less.
Apr 16, 2009 at 9:49 a.m.
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Disbarment generally results from deliberate fraud or extensive and uncorrected incompetence. This was probably a simple mistake in the beginning that was handled poorly (covered up).
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Unfortunately for her client, he'll never get those months in jail back. He may be entitled to sue her, though. She probably won't be used as a public defender again, but then given the priority she gave this case, that doesn't seem to be on top for her.
Apr 16, 2009 at 9:33 a.m.
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This article should probably bring in alot of new business for this attorney!What was she thinking??
Apr 16, 2009 at 9:03 a.m.
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Wow ! Should she be allowed to continue to practice law ? Mistakes happen , I get that ...... but to this degree ?
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