A Lake Elmo attorney who was disciplined for knowingly making a misleading statement to a court during a hearing has been reinstated.

In a June 4 order, Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Margaret Chutich wrote that Paul E. Overson is “conditionally reinstated to the practice of law in the State of Minnesota, subject to his successful completion of the written examination required for admission to the practice of law by the Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners on the subject of professional responsibility.” Overson must show proof by Feb. 24, 2025, Chutich wrote.

The Supreme Court in February issued an order suspending Overson from the practice of law for a minimum of 30 days after the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility said he “committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline — namely, knowingly making a misleading statement to a court during a hearing and subsequently failing to correct his misleading statement.”

The underlying case was a custody dispute filed in Washington County District Court in June 2022. Overson represented the respondent in the case, which has since been closed, according to court documents.

According to the petition, Overson failed to tell the court during a September 2022 hearing that the parties had already agreed to dismiss a matter involving an order for protection. Overson failed during and after the hearing “to correct his misleading statement and failed during the hearing to inform the court that the parties had agreed to dismiss the OFP matter,” the petition states.

Overson did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

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