Attorney John Lawrence McDonough (P68576) of Three Rivers, Michigan, has been publicly reprimanded with conditions by Kalamazoo County Hearing Panel #2 of the Attorney Discipline Board, effective June 29, 2023. The action follows his guilty plea to impaired driving in Kalamazoo’s 8th District Court. Costs of $938.51 were assessed. For broader analysis of McDonough’s conduct and the accountability questions his case raises, see Clutch Justice’s full coverage here.
Reprimand Stemming from Criminal Conviction
The disciplinary action follows McDonough’s guilty plea to impaired driving in People v. John Lawrence McDonough, Case No. 08-774-SD, in Kalamazoo’s 8th District Court. The conviction was based on a violation of MCL § 257.625(3)(a).
Pursuant to a Stipulation for Consent Order of Reprimand With Conditions filed jointly by McDonough and the Grievance Administrator, the Attorney Grievance Commission approved the agreement, which was subsequently accepted by Kalamazoo County Hearing Panel #2. McDonough admitted to the misconduct, and the panel found that by violating state criminal law, he had breached Michigan Court Rule 9.104(5), which governs attorney conduct relating to criminal convictions.
McDonough was formally reprimanded — a public disciplinary action that is less than suspension or disbarment but carries weight as a permanent entry in his professional record. He was ordered to comply with specific conditions designed to address the underlying conduct. Costs of $938.51 were assessed in connection with the proceeding.
What a Public Reprimand Means
A public reprimand is the lowest level of formal public discipline in Michigan attorney proceedings. It does not suspend the attorney’s ability to practice law. It does, however, become a permanent part of the attorney’s professional record — and under Michigan’s disciplinary framework, prior discipline is considered as an aggravating factor in any future proceedings.
In McDonough’s case, this reprimand now exists alongside a subsequent two-year bar suspension that followed his second OWI conviction in 2024. Taken together, they document a progression the system caught — partially and belatedly — but only after years of inaction by those around him who were required to report and did not.
Sources and Documentation
Donald Talonen, Attorney John L. McDonough Reprimanded Following Criminal Conviction, Clutch Justice (Aug. 3, 2025), https://clutchjustice.com/2025/08/03/attorney-john-l-mcdonough-reprimanded-following-criminal-conviction/.
Talonen, D. (2025, August 3). Attorney John L. McDonough reprimanded following criminal conviction. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2025/08/03/attorney-john-l-mcdonough-reprimanded-following-criminal-conviction/
Talonen, Donald. “Attorney John L. McDonough Reprimanded Following Criminal Conviction.” Clutch Justice, 3 Aug. 2025, clutchjustice.com/2025/08/03/attorney-john-l-mcdonough-reprimanded-following-criminal-conviction/.
