Originally published June 22, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified June 22, 2007 at 2:02 AM
Court takes lawyer's license for three years in ethics violation
A former municipal prosecutor lost her license to practice law for three years under a state Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday. The Washington State Bar...
Seattle Times staff reporter
A former municipal prosecutor lost her license to practice law for three years under a state Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday. The Washington State Bar Association had sought disbarment.
Margita A. Dornay violated legal ethics rules by lying on the witness stand on behalf of her then-boyfriend, the court ruled. She did so "primarily to keep her ongoing affair ... secret," the opinion said.
Dornay, who was married and practicing law in Issaquah at the time, was involved in a romantic relationship with King County sheriff's Deputy David Hick, who was going through a divorce. During a 2002 divorce hearing, Dornay testified that she never knew Hick to fly into a rage.
Several months later, however, she filed for a protection order claiming just the opposite: "He would push, grab and restrain me," she wrote in the petition for protection. "He would throw furniture and various other objects. He would rant ... until I was a groveling basket case conceding my faults and professing my love."
She later admitted that the testimony in the divorce hearing was false.
A judge later suspended Hick's visitation rights with his child and Hick was barred from carrying a firearm based on Dornay's statements in the protection order. Hick also lost his job.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court decided her misconduct not only broke legal ethics rules, it put Hick's child at risk. The Supreme Court's ruling satisfied neither Dornay nor the State Bar. The bar argued that Dornay, who had practiced law for about a decade, should lose her law license altogether. Dornay argued that there should be no sanction because there was no misconduct. She said the divorce testimony was given under duress because she was afraid of Hick.
Dornay had been a partner in the law firm of Kenyon Dornay Marshall and a contract prosecutor for the city of Kenmore when she met Hick.
Maureen O'Hagan: 206-464-2562 or mohagan@seattletimes.com
UPDATE - 09:46 AM
Exxon Mobil wins ruling in Alaska oil spill case
NEW - 7:51 AM
Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife
Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife
Longview mill spills bleach into Columbia River
NEW - 8:00 AM
More extensive TSA searches in Sea-Tac Airport rattle some travelers
![]()

Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwautos
Turismo upgrade "Gran Turismo 5: XL Edition" for PlayStation 3 has features such as new car-tuning settings, new NASCAR vehicles, better replay video...
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
492 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
378 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
282 - AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule
274 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
245 - Oregon live game thread
155 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'
108 - Rough road again
103 - USA Today further spells out how Mariners, handful of clubs next in line for huge cash windfall
74
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review







