A Yukon attorney who pleaded no contest last fall to two counts of soliciting prostitution for making sexual advances toward a client is suspended from practicing law for six months.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court issued a public censure against W. Mark Hixon, 50, for his sexually exploitive behavior. During the disciplinary hearing, Hixon said he was "sick about" his behavior, noting that he let down "everyone in my life . . . starting with my wife."
The case began last August, when police were called to the home of one of Hixon's clients on a domestic issue. Once there, they searched the woman's phone, finding illicit text messages from the attorney to his client.
Hixon represented the woman--a 25-year-old single mother of a newborn--in a paternity case and in a municipal drug paraphernalia case.
When police arrived at her home in August, arresting her on a narcotics charge, she texted Hixon saying she was "in trouble" again, but broke. The attorney reportedly responded, "Would you like to do favors for a fee?"
Earlier text messages show that the lawyer told his client he had "always had a thing" for her and offered to take her on a shopping spree at Victoria's Secret. He asked for nude photos as a "preview." When she sent him sexually explicit photos of herself, he responded that he would like to get "the real thing," offering her $100. He also asked her how much she would charge for "straight sex," and asked what else she would be willing to do and what her rates would be.
Hixon was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution as a result of the text messages, and in October, he pleaded no contest to the charges. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 25.5 hours of community service.
In November, the state Supreme Court suspended him from practicing law as a result of the criminal case pending the completion of the disciplinary process. On Tuesday, the Court reached its decision in the disciplinary case. While three justices believed the attorney should have been suspended for two years, the remaining five judges felt that the solicitation of prostitution from a client was an isolated incident. The Court determined to suspend the attorney from practice for six months, giving him credit for time already suspended in the interim.
Image credit: Pro Juventute
