State Bar consents to lift arrest order for New Hanover County Commissioner Julia Olson-Boseman

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Embattled New Hanover County Commissioner Julia Olson-Boseman will likely receive more time to turn over financial documents to the NC State Bar before facing any jail time.

The NC State Bar has consented to lifting the order for Olson-Boseman’s arrest and giving her a 21 day extension to provide bank statements, deposit slips and other financial documents.

Initially, on July 18, a Wake County judge ordered Olson-Boseman held in civil contempt for failing to provide documents to the State Bar for an investigation they’re conducting regarding allegations of mismanaging her funds from her law practice. She had a July 22 deadline to provide those documents or report to the Wake County jail.

Olson-Boseman did neither.

According to the motion filed by Olson-Boseman’s attorney, Joshua T. Walthall, Olson-Boseman  “sincerely apologizes for not responding to these inquiries in a more timely manner and acknowledges that her failure to adequately participate in the self-regulation process was and is unacceptable.”

Olson-Boseman executed a Power of Attorney and Written Authorization to her attorneys for them to access her bank records and provide the requested documents to the State Bar. However, she has been out of the country and has had a hard time finding a notary, which is required by the banks in order for her attorneys to have access to her banking documents.

She went to the American Embassy, where she is currently staying, but could not find a notary. She ultimately used a mobile notary, which is ‘hopefully sufficient’ for the banks holding the documents the Bar is seeking.

However, First Citizens Bank has not, as of the date of the filing, responded to the attorney’s requests, but First National Bank did provide the documents to the attorneys, which were then provided to the NC Bar.

The Bar is requesting:

• All bank statements, with cancelled checks, for her First Citizens Bank trust account for July 2019 through October 2019
• All deposit slips and deposited items for deposits for her FCB account
• Reports from each monthly and quarterly reconciliation of her First National Bank trust account- including supporting documents
• All monthly bank statements, deposit slips and deposited items for deposits for FNB
• Identify each bank account into which Olson-Boseman deposited funds disbursed to herself or her law firm from FCB Account

She also needs to identify each bank account into which she deposited certain check from her FCB account and certain monthly bank statements.

According to the motion, Olson-Boseman acknowledged she should be disciplined and desires to surrender her law license, but of desire to continue caring for her 12-year-old son, she asked the court to lift the order for her arrest for 21 days, during which she will produce the Bar the documents she receives.

The State Bar consented to the motion.