Attorney Dwight Merriam

Outrage over news that a prominent attorney charged in a domestic violence case will likely face no disciplinary proceedings points to a gulf between what advocates think should happen to lawyers in such cases, and what actually happens.

On one side are advocates like Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Chief Executive Officer Karen Jarmoc, who joined state Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, in criticizing attorney reaction to news of the arrest.

On the other are ethics lawyers who seem to unanimously agree that an attorney facing misdemeanor assault charges will likely face no formal sanctions under the rules governing attorney behavior.