PORTLAND —The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has granted Robert Nadeau’s request for a postponement of the suspension of his law license while he asks for a reconsideration.

Nadeau, in his motion, pointed out that he was cited by the high court for violation of judicial canons — not on any violations of the Maine Code of Professional Responsibility governing attorney conduct. 

The court last month found that Nadeau, a former longtime York County Judge of Probate, violated several judicial canons during his last term as a judge. The court ordered his license to practice law in Maine be suspended for two years, beginning Aug. 1. The ‘stay’ or postponement  granted by the court on July 6 orders the suspension to commence Sept. 15.

“There has been no finding that the movant (Nadeau) has engaged in any harm to any private client in his 36 years as an attorney, and no evidence that he would ever commit such harm in the future,” Nadeau wrote on his own behalf in requesting the stay.

The justices on June 20  found Nadeau violated judicial canons when he directed probate court staff not to make court appointments to seven attorneys; removed a previously appointed attorney from pending cases; issued orders urging litigants appearing before him to lobby for increased court time, and personally solicited campaign contributions for his 2016 election campaign, according to the court’s June 20 opinion. 

In his motion for reconsideration,  Nadeau pointed out that the Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability had asked for a suspension of his license to practice law only if he were to again run for probate judge. 

In his motion, Nadeau raises questions about due process, the burden of proof and what he described as the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s commentary regarding whether he “fully acknowledged the intemperate nature of his decisions.” 

“Regardless of the circumstances and my efforts to quickly right any wrongs when I made them, and regardless of the applicable canons, my goal was always to avoid errors of any sort, and to do what was best and most supportive for the users of the probate court,” he wrote. “I apologize for not having done better, and I blame only myself.” 

Nadeau wrote that he has had many sleepless nights over the past two years since the issue commenced, and spoke about self-reflection, efforts to right wrongs, sadness, the impact on his family and humiliation.

“To say that I am sorry to all who have been affected by my actions, and to say that I am not exceedingly keen to recognizing and avoiding impetuous behavior, is a considerable understatement,” he wrote.

An order signed by Maine Chief Justice Leigh Saufley sets a July 28 deadline for the Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability to respond, and an Aug. 11 deadline for Nadeau to reply.

Saufley’s order specifies that no further hearings will be held unless ordered by the court.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.