Case Information
- Attorney: Erik C. Rakoczy (P 86620)
- Case No.: 25-075-JC
- County: Washtenaw
- City: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Discipline: 30-Day Suspension (By Consent)
- Effective Date: January 8, 2026
Quick Facts
Erik C. Rakoczy, P 86620, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A 30-day suspension, with conditions, by consent.
A misdemeanor criminal conviction for operating while visibly impaired.
No. The matter was resolved through a stipulated consent order.
Yes. Costs of $1,050.28 were imposed.
Discipline Summary
The Attorney Discipline Board ordered the 30-day suspension of Erik C. Rakoczy’s Michigan law license following a criminal conviction and a stipulated consent agreement between the respondent and the Grievance Administrator.
The suspension was imposed with conditions, as agreed to by the parties, and became effective January 8, 2026.
Applicable Court Rules
This matter proceeded under Michigan Court Rules governing criminal conduct and attorney discipline, including:
- MCR 9.104(5) – Discipline for conduct violating criminal law
- MCR 2.615 – Criminal law violations as grounds for discipline
Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct implicated included:
- MRPC 8.4(b) – Criminal conduct reflecting adversely on a lawyer’s fitness
As with all attorney discipline matters, this action falls under Michigan Court Rules, Chapter 9, including the Attorney Discipline Board’s authority under MCR 9.115.
Underlying Conduct
Rakoczy was convicted by no contest plea on March 4, 2024, in People of the City of Ann Arbor v Erik Christopher Rakoczy, Case No. 23-0633-OD, in the 15th Judicial District Court of Ann Arbor.
The conviction was for Operating While Visibly Impaired, a misdemeanor, in violation of MCL 257.625(3).
Hearing Panel Findings
The respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed an Amended Stipulation for Consent Order of Discipline, which was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by Washtenaw County Hearing Panel #3.
Based on the respondent’s conviction, admissions, and the parties’ stipulation, the panel found that Rakoczy committed professional misconduct by:
- Engaging in conduct that violated a criminal law, in violation of MCR 9.104(5)
- Engaging in criminal conduct reflecting adversely on his fitness as a lawyer, in violation of MRPC 8.4(b)
No contested evidentiary hearing was required.
Sanction
Pursuant to the parties’ stipulation, the panel ordered that Erik C. Rakoczy’s license to practice law be suspended for 30 days, effective January 8, 2026.
The suspension is subject to conditions relevant to the established misconduct, as set forth in the consent order.
Costs were assessed in the amount of $1,050.28.
Why This Matters
This case illustrates how criminal convictions, even at the misdemeanor level, can result in attorney discipline, particularly when the conduct reflects on a lawyer’s fitness to practice.
It also demonstrates the role of consent discipline in Michigan’s attorney regulation system. When misconduct is acknowledged and resolved through stipulation, discipline may be imposed without prolonged litigation, while still serving the profession’s regulatory and public-protection functions.
