People v. Reynolds.
No. 26PDJ1. 1/8/2026. Stipulation to Discipline.
February 1, 2026
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ stipulation to discipline and publicly censured Brian Robert Reynolds (attorney registration number 29493), with conditions. The public censure took effect on January 8, 2026.
Reynolds represented a client who was sued for defamation and intentional infliction of severe emotional distress by S.L., who claimed she was harmed by two Facebook posts, one in which the client said that S.L. had been “charged” with a crime when she took her minor child in violation of a custody arrangement, and one in which the client compared S.L. with a journalist whom S.L. did not hold in high regard. S.L.’s lawyer withdrew from the representation, and S.L. proceeded pro se. Reynolds and S.L. had a difficult working relationship, and Reynolds eventually insisted on communicating with S.L. only in writing.
When S.L. took the client’s deposition, Reynolds repeatedly objected, frequently argued with S.L. on the record, instructed his client not to read portions of documents, and thrice directed his client not to answer questions he deemed argumentative. Later, a court noted that such direction did not appear to be supported by any rule or case law.
Reynolds also took S.L.’s deposition, during which Reynolds offered unnecessary commentary and made statements that S.L. found belittling. For example, Reynolds asked S.L. whether she knew her son did not want to be in her custody; whether it was painful not to have contact with her son for more than 11 years; and whether she had not contacted her son because she feared she would discover he is a well-adjusted kid despite her absence in his life.
S.L. moved for sanctions against Reynolds based on his deposition conduct, among other things. The court declined to impose sanctions but referred the matter to disciplinary authorities.
Through the conduct described above, Reynolds violated Colo. RPC 3.4(a) (a lawyer shall not unlawfully obstruct another party’s access to evidence) and Colo. RPC 4.4(a) (in representing a client, a lawyer shall not use means that have no substantial purpose other than to embarrass, delay, or burden a third person, or use methods of obtaining evidence that violate the legal rights of such a person).