Published: July 04, 2008 12:00 am         

Sumrow transferred

ROCKWALL — On June 26, Sumrow was transferred from the Rockwall County jail, to the Byrd Unit in Hunstville, which is a diagnostic intake facility.

On the day before, but unrelated to the transfer, the State Board of Disciplinary Appeals (BODA) signed an interlocutory order of suspension against Rockwall attorney Galen Ray Sumrow, 58. BODA handles cases which are brought to it by the disciplinary arm of the State Bar.

This means he is suspended from practicing law during his appeal process on his first felony conviction.

He must turn his bar card over to the state wide compliance monitor of BODA, and must notify all judges and magistrates, etc. with whom he may have had cases pending. He may not hold himself out in any way as a counselor or lawyer.

This is according to the BODA web site, which noted that Sumrow was convicted of theft by a public servant, aggregated over $1,500 but less than $20,000, a third degree felony.

He was sentenced to four years and ordered to pay restitution of $9,652.76. Sumrow has appealed that conviction, and BODA “retains jurisdiction to enter a final judgment when the criminal appeal is final.” Sumrow did not answer the petition for compulsory discipline or appear at the hearing.

Sumrow’s appeal on his conviction is underway, with a hearing scheduled in District Judge Brett Hall’s Court for 10 a.m. July 18.

Sumrow has also appealed his second felony conviction, that of abuse of official capacity. A jury found him guilty of personally using $68,000 meant for the county till, before he put the money into the county.

For that offense, he was sentenced by the jury to 15 years in prison.