Grand Forks Democrat Claims She Stiffed Client Because She Was Depressed

The North Dakota Supreme Court has reprimanded state Senator Connie Triplett (D-Grand Forks) for a second time for misconduct as an attorney in a state.

This time Senator Triplett apparently didn’t return a $500 retainer paid to her by a client, claiming that she was suffering from depression:

The Supreme Court says Connie Triplett must return her client’s $500 retainer and 11 years’ interest, and pay almost $3,000 in disciplinary costs.

Court records say a client hired Triplett in September 2002 to represent her after her divorce.

In 2007, the client’s ex-husband didn’t pay his share of expenses for medical and dental treatment for the couple’s daughter. The woman asked Triplett to pursue the matter. Triplett didn’t follow up, and did not respond to the client’s letters.

The client filed a complaint against Triplett almost two years later, and asked for her $500 back. She ended up resolving the dispute herself.

Triplett said she didn’t get some of her client’s letters. She said she was in Oregon part of the time working on an advanced degree program.

Triplett also said she has long suffered from depression, and has been prescribed anti-depressants at various times since September 2007.

Senator Triplett was somewhat erratic during the recent legislative session as well. She had to be reprimanded by Lt. Governor Drew Wrigley, in his capacity as President of the Senate, for verbally attacking fellow Senator Margaret Sitte, and during debate over one of the pro-life bills the legislature considered she brought the Senator chamber to a halt when she stormed off the floor and refused to return to the chamber to vote as required by the rules.

If Senator Triplett can’t perform her duties as an attorney because she’s suffering from depression, perhaps she’s not fit to help write the laws either.