John Alan Covey - #174935

This member is resigned and may not practice law in California.

See below for more details.

Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

Explanation of common actions

Summaries from the California Bar Journal are based on discipline orders but are not the official records. Not all discipline actions have associated CBJ summaries. Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

May 29, 2005

JOHN A. COVEY [#174935], 40, of San Diego was placed on interim suspension May 29, 2005, following a conviction of possession for sale of a controlled substance. He was ordered to comply with rule 955.

November 30, 2001

JOHN ALAN COVEY [#174935], 37, of San Diego was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with an actual two-year suspension and was ordered to prove his rehabilitation and take the MPRE. Credit will be given for a period of interim suspension that began Dec. 19, 2000. The order took effect Nov. 30, 2001.

Covey stipulated to misconduct in three matters, each a criminal conviction.

Following a 1998 jury trial, Covey was convicted of being under the influence of methamphetamine and battery. He struck an 8-year-old on the head while under the influence. He first claimed his symptoms were the result of working around chemicals and taking allergy medication. He later accused the child’s mother of putting drugs in his soda. However, he tested positive for methamphetamine.

In 2000, he pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, a misdemeanor, after being charged with six counts following a day-long domestic dispute with his wife.

According to the stipulation, he took his wife’s car keys, drove to his in-laws’ home and took his infant daughter from them, grabbed his wife by the throat and hit her numerous times, punched her in the stomach and threatened to kill her. He denied the allegations and accused his wife of making up the story.

He was convicted later the same year of possession of methamphetamine, a felony.

Covey also was disciplined in 1998 for improperly withdrawing from employment, failing to pay court-ordered sanctions and committing an act of moral turpitude.

December 19, 2000

JOHN ALAN COVEY [#174935], 36, of San Diego was placed on interim suspension Dec. 19, 2000, following a conviction for possession of a controlled substance. He was ordered to comply with rule 955.

December 30, 1997

JOHN A. COVEY [#174935], 33, of San Diego was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual six-month suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE. Credit toward the actual suspension will be given for a suspension that began March 18, 1997. The order took effect Dec. 30, 1997.

Covey was convicted in 1996 of driving under the influence of cocaine and failing to stop in an accident resulting in damage to a vehicle. After his DUI arrest, he got into an altercation at the car impound lot, causing minor injuries to an employee and damaging his own car.

Covey has two prior arrests for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

In another matter, Covey represented a client in a criminal case, but failed to appear at two settlement conferences. Covey believed his client had fired him because the man refused to cooperate, but he did not withdraw from the case properly or notify the court about the client’s recalcitrance.

In mitigation, Covey completed a six-month drug rehabilitation program and has no prior record of discipline.