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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sacramento attorney summarily disbarred after conviction of committing lewd act with child

Discipline
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SAN FRANCISCO (Northern California Record) — Sacramento attorney David Lee Bergren has been summarily disbarred following a California Supreme Court decision and his conviction last year for committing a lewd act with a child, according to a notification recently issued by the State Bar of California.

The high court issued its disbarment order Jan. 4 and Bergren's effective disbarment date was Feb. 3, according to a notification provided to the Northern California Record earlier this week.

"A conviction of a serious sexual offense involves moral turpitude because the offense is one of depravity, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between man and man," said the three-page State Bar Court recommendation of summary disbarment issued Sept. 21. "Accordingly, Bergren’s conviction qualifies him for summary disbarment.

Under California law, Bergren's conviction rendered him not entitled to a state bar court hearing to determine whether he could receive a lesser discipline and he did not respond to a state bar request for summary disbarment, according to the recommendation.

"Disbarment is mandatory," the recommendation said.

Bergren was admitted to the bar in California on Oct. 10, 1991, according to his profile at the state bar website. Bergren had no prior discipline before the state bar, according to his profile.

In January 2018, Bergren was convicted on a single count of a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, according to the state bar court's recommendation.

The following month the office of chief trial counsel transmitted evidence of Bergren's conviction and in March 2018 the state bar court ruled Bergren be placed on interim suspension, effective April 2, pending final disposition of his proceeding.

In August 2018, the office of chief trail counsel transmitted evidence of finality of Bergren's conviction and that Bergren did not appeal his conviction.

"Therefore, the conviction is final," the recommendation said.

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