Hunter Biden's law license suspended in D.C. following gun conviction
Hunter Biden's license to practice law in Washington, D.C., was suspended Tuesday following his conviction on federal gun charges earlier this month.
In a terse order, the D.C. Court of Appeals said President Biden's son is "suspended immediately" from practicing law in the nation's capital. It also directed the D.C. Bar's Board on Professional Responsibility to conduct a formal proceeding to determine "the nature of the offense and whether it involves moral turpitude."
Under D.C. law, lawyers must be disbarred if convicted of such crimes. Hunter Biden's license will likely remain suspended until a "final judgment of conviction" has been certified, after which he could lose his law license for good.
A jury of 12 Delaware residents convicted Hunter Biden of three felony counts earlier this month, each stemming from his 2018 purchase of a Colt Cobra 38 SPL revolver. On a federal gun purchase form, he checked “no” when asked if he used or was addicted to illegal drugs. Then, he unlawfully possessed the firearm for 11 days.
The trial revolved largely around Hunter Biden's well-documented addiction to cocaine and featured testimony from his daughter, ex-wife and late brother Beau Biden's widow, with whom he had a brief relationship.
A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled for Hunter Biden, but he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines. However, first-time offenders are rarely given the maximum penalty, and federal sentencing guidelines recommend a sentence between 15-21 months in prison for defendants like the president's son.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, requested a new trial for Hunter Biden on Monday, citing a procedural matter. After the verdict, he vowed to “vigorously pursue” all available legal challenges. The president has said he will not pardon his son.