¶4 On November 6, 2014, the OLR filed a complaint alleging that Attorney Kaupie committed 14 counts of professional misconduct. By order dated December 15, 2014, Robert E. Kinney was appointed referee. On March 9, 2015, the parties filed a stipulation and no contest plea agreement whereby Attorney Kaupie pled no contest to the misconduct alleged in the complaint. Attorney Kaupie acknowledged the accuracy of the complaint's factual allegations and the parties jointly requested that the referee recommend a five- month suspension.

¶5 In November 2010, Attorney Kaupie was appointed by the Office of the State Public Defender (SPD) to represent D.B. on D.B.'s appeal from his conviction for sexual assault. Attorney Kaupie failed to respond to telephone messages and failed to respond to written communications from his client and from the SPD. Attorney Kaupie had no contact at any time with D.B. regarding his appeal and, as a result, D.B.'s appellate deadlines lapsed. The SPD eventually removed Attorney Kaupie from its list of attorneys eligible to receive post- conviction appointments and a grievance was filed. Attorney Kaupie then failed to respond to repeated inquiries from the OLR concerning the grievance. The referee concluded, based on the parties' stipulation, that Attorney Kaupie's conduct in this matter violated SCR 20:1.3, SCR 20:1.4(a)(3) and (4), and SCR 22.03(2) and (6), enforced via SCR 20:8.4(h).

¶6 In 2010, Attorney Kaupie was appointed by the SPD to represent P.E. in post-conviction proceedings stemming from his conviction, on entry of a guilty plea, to burglary, receiving stolen property, criminal damage to property, and two counts of armed robbery. Attorney Kaupie did not file a statement on transcript or a brief in the case. He disregarded the court of appeal's delinquency notice regarding his failure to file P.E.'s brief. Attorney Kaupie was removed from the appeal and the SPD was ordered to appoint replacement counsel. Attorney Kaupie then failed to send successor counsel P.E.'s file and failed to respond to repeated inquiries from the OLR regarding the ensuing grievance investigation. The referee concluded, based on the parties' stipulation, that Attorney Kaupie's conduct in this matter violated SCR 20:1.3, SCR 20:1.16(d), SCR 20:3.4(c), and SCR 22.03(2) and (6), enforced via SCR 20:8.4 (h).

¶7 In 2010, Attorney Kaupie was appointed by the SPD to represent Y.M. in post-conviction proceedings stemming from his conviction, on entry of a guilty plea, to several drug-related crimes and one count of resisting/obstructing an officer. Attorney Kaupie did not file a brief or do meaningful work to advance Y.M.'s appeal. Y.M. briefly met with Attorney Kaupie in the prison but had no further communication with him. Y.M. was unable to contact Kaupie by telephone or by mail and eventually learned that his appeal had been dismissed because of Attorney Kaupie's failure to file a brief on his behalf. Attorney Kaupie then failed to respond to repeated inquiries from the OLR regarding the ensuing grievance investigation. The referee concluded, based on the parties' stipulation, that Attorney Kaupie's conduct in this matter violated SCR 20:1.3, SCR 20:1.4(a)(3) and (4), and SCR 22.03(2) and (6), enforced via SCR 20:8.4(h).

¶10 Attorney Kaupie has stipulated that he fully understands the misconduct allegations; that he understands his right to contest this matter; that he understands the ramifications should the court impose a five-month suspension; and that his entry into the stipulation is made knowingly and voluntarily and represents his admission of the alleged misconduct and his agreement with the level of discipline sought by the OLR. The parties asked the referee to approve the stipulation and file a report finding facts and misconduct consistent with the stipulation and recommending that Attorney Kaupie's license to practice law be suspended for five months.

¶13 As the referee observed, abandonment of clients, especially those who are vulnerable due to incarceration and indigency, is a serious matter and Attorney Kaupie's cooperation with the ensuing investigation was "abysmal." The referee was mindful, however, that Attorney Kaupie had no prior disciplinary history and that Attorney Kaupie acknowledged complete culpability for his misconduct.

¶14 The stipulation discloses that in 2009, when this misconduct commenced, Attorney Kaupie was a sole practitioner with no office staff, practicing primarily in the area of criminal defense. That year, Attorney Kaupie's mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, experienced declining health. Attorney Kaupie spent considerable time caring for his mother, whose condition increasingly needed constant supervision. The stipulation discloses that Attorney Kaupie essentially stopped practicing law to care for his mother, who passed away in November 2014.

¶15 We adopt the referee's findings of fact and conclusions of law and determine that, in view of the circumstances presented, a five-month suspension is the appropriate discipline for Attorney Kaupie's professional misconduct. See In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Diamon, 2001 WI 28, 242 Wis. 2d 110, 624 N.W.2d 147 (five-month suspension for failure to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing clients, failure to communicate with clients, terminating representation of clients without performing any legal services or refunding any unearned fees, and failure to cooperate in the misconduct investigation). We find no reason to diverge from our general policy of imposing full costs in this matter.

¶16 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Joseph J. Kaupie to practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of five months, effective the date of this order.

¶17 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date of this order, Joseph J. Kaupie shall pay to the Office of Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding, which are $2,309.41.

¶18 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the March 15, 2012 temporary suspension of Joseph J. Kaupie's license to practice law in Wisconsin, due to his willful failure to cooperate with the OLR's grievance investigation in this matter, is lifted. The administrative suspensions imposed upon Attorney Kaupie's license for failure to pay mandatory bar dues, failure to file a trust account certification, and failure to comply with continuing legal education requirements, however, will remain in effect until each reason for the administrative suspension has been rectified, pursuant to SCR 22.28(1).

¶19 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not already done so, Joseph J. Kaupie shall comply with the provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of an attorney whose license to practice law has been suspended.