Former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was officially disbarred in Connecticut on Monday after state authorities determined he violated attorney conduct rules.
The ruling follows complaints related to his federal gun and tax convictions, for which he received a presidential pardon last year.
The Connecticut disbarment comes several months after Hunter Biden was stripped of his law license in Washington, D.C.
He consented to the action in Connecticut and acknowledged attorney misconduct as part of an agreement with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, though he did not admit to criminal wrongdoing.
Hunter Biden appeared virtually before Judge Trial Referee Patrick L. Carroll III in Waterbury, accompanied by his attorney, Ross Garber. He did not address the court verbally.
The judge concluded that Biden violated multiple ethical rules governing attorneys, including conduct involving “dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” according to The Hill.
The disbarment is tied to two high-profile federal cases. In 2018, Hunter Biden purchased a Colt Cobra .38 revolver while concealing ongoing illegal drug use.
He later admitted to unlawfully possessing the firearm for 11 days. In 2024, during a weeklong trial in California, prosecutors highlighted Biden’s struggle with cocaine addiction, which he and his father have publicly acknowledged.
The challenges were exacerbated by the 2015 death of his brother, Beau Biden, from brain cancer.
Later that year, Hunter Biden faced federal tax charges, accused of failing to report and pay more than $1.4 million over four years while funding a lavish lifestyle.
The case was set for jury selection in September 2024, but he ultimately entered a traditional guilty plea after prosecutors denied his request for an “Alford plea,” which allows defendants to maintain innocence while accepting a conviction.
Former President Biden issued a pardon in December 2024, despite previous assurances that he would not intervene. He described the action as correcting what he perceived as a politically influenced legal process.
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” Biden said.
The pardon drew criticism from conservative observers. President Donald Trump called the pardon “an abuse and miscarriage of justice,” arguing it undermined accountability for serious offenses.
Others questioned how presidential pardons intersect with professional licensing and ethical enforcement.
Paul Dorsey, who filed one of the complaints against Hunter Biden, voiced objections to the Connecticut agreement, noting that Biden did not admit to criminal wrongdoing despite acknowledgment of ethical violations.
Leanne Larson, representing the disciplinary office, highlighted the pardon as a contributing factor in the resolution, The Boston Globe reports.
Hunter Biden was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1997, a year after graduating from Yale Law School.
The ruling now bars him from practicing law in Connecticut and reinforces the ethical breaches cited in his D.C. disbarment earlier this year.
Legal analysts note that the case raises broader questions about accountability for prominent individuals, the impact of presidential pardons on professional conduct and standards for attorney ethics nationwide.
Biden’s disbarment is expected to continue attracting national attention as authorities monitor compliance with professional regulations and public scrutiny persists.
The Connecticut decision underscores the intersection of criminal, ethical and political considerations in high-profile cases, highlighting ongoing debates over fairness, oversight, and legal accountability for those with prominent public ties.
