People v. Maffeo.
No. 21PDJ083. 6/6/2023. Reciprocal Discipline.
August 11, 2023
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ stipulation and imposed discipline and reciprocal discipline, suspending Daniel Matthew Maffeo (attorney registration number 51831) from the practice of law in Colorado for 90 days, effective June 6, 2023. Maffeo, who was admitted to practice law in Colorado on a limited basis under a single-client counsel certification, may not again seek admission, certification, or authorization to practice law in Colorado until he completes his felony probation.
This reciprocal discipline case arose out of discipline imposed on Maffeo in California. On March 22, 2023, the California State Bar Court suspended Maffeo for one year, stayed the suspension, and placed Maffeo on a one-year period of probation. Under the California order, Maffeo was suspended from the practice of law for the first 90 days of his probation. The discipline was premised on Maffeo’s October 2013 guilty plea and convictions in Colorado for felony menacing and for knowingly or recklessly causing child abuse, a misdemeanor. Maffeo was placed on a six-year period of probation, which requires him to seek domestic violence and mental health evaluations and treatment; complete 180 days of electronic home monitoring and 90 days of work release; and maintain full-time employment.
Maffeo’s convictions are predicated on the following admitted facts. In February 2021, Maffeo had an argument with his former spouse at her home in Boulder while their three children were present. During the altercation, Maffeo grabbed his former spouse’s wrist to look at her cell phone. He then recorded her with his cell phone and threatened her. Maffeo’s former spouse took his phone and went to another room. Maffeo followed her and threatened to kill her. He then pushed her against a door, placed his hands on her throat, and choked her until she lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, Maffeo admitted in front of one of the children that he had choked her.
Through this conduct, Maffeo engaged in conduct constituting grounds for reciprocal discipline under CRCP 242.21, which calls for imposition of the same discipline as that imposed in California. Maffeo also violated Colo. RPC 8.4(b) (it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s fitness to practice law).