In re Pressly
Vermont Supreme Court
628 A.2d 927 (1993)
Attorney Thomas Pressly (Pressly) represented a client in a divorce and child-custody proceeding; the client told him she suspected her estranged husband was sexually abusing their daughter, shared her plans to investigate, and specifically instructed Pressly not to reveal the suspicions to her husband's attorney. When questioned by opposing counsel, Pressly disclosed the suspicions anyway. The client fired Pressly upon learning of the disclosure and retained new counsel, and the Vermont Professional Conduct Board recommended a public reprimand for violating the duty of confidentiality; Pressly appealed.
Whether an attorney must defer to his client's decisions regarding potential disclosures of confidential information, even if the attorney believes that disclosure of the information is the best course of action in the circumstances.