USCG Administrative Law Judge Case
U.S. Coast Guard vs. Michael James Verdin
Settlement approved after Coast Guard conviction-based complaint; sanction: 7 months outright suspension.
Disposition
Settlement Agreement
Posture
Settlement
Sanction
Suspension
7 months outright
Judge
Bruce Tucker Smith
What the Record Shows
Case Summary
The Coast Guard charged Michael James Verdin after a Louisiana conviction that the complaint alleged would preclude issuance of a Merchant Mariner Credential. The complaint states that the original charge was simple rape, that the charge was amended to sexual battery, and that Verdin pleaded guilty to sexual battery. The July 5, 2012 consent order approved a settlement agreement. Under that agreement, Verdin did not admit liability or the factual allegations, and his Coast Guard-issued credentials were suspended outright for 7 months beginning when deposited with the Coast Guard.
Based on public docket metadata and available source documents. Allegations are described as allegations, not findings of fact or admissions.
Outcome
Settlement agreement approved. The settlement states that Respondent neither admitted nor denied the factual allegations in the complaint.
Sanction: Suspension
Duration: 7 months
Case Timeline
Oct 4, 2011
Complaint filed
The Coast Guard complaint sought suspension based on a conviction that it alleged would preclude MMC issuance.
May 23, 2012
Delay order
Judge Bruce Tucker Smith granted a hearing delay and denied the Coast Guard request for credential deposit before hearing.
Jul 5, 2012
Consent order
Judge Bruce Tucker Smith approved a settlement agreement imposing a 7-month outright suspension.
Case Metadata
- Docket Number
- 2011-0449
- Enforcement Activity Number
- 4064202
- Judge
- Bruce Tucker Smith
- Source Era
- 1999–2022 Published Decisions
- Dispositive Order Type
- Consent Order
- Allegation
- Sexual Misconduct; Conviction / NDRA; Credential / MMC; Law / Regulation; Settlement
- Source wording: The Coast Guard complaint alleged a conviction that would preclude issuance of a Merchant Mariner Credential, citing a Louisiana sexual battery conviction after an original simple-rape charge was amended.
- Authorities Cited
- 46 U.S.C. § 7703(2)46 C.F.R. § 5.2733 C.F.R. § 20.502
- Coast Guard Representative
- LTJG Sandi Carmine; LT Angel Flood
- Mariner / Respondent Counsel
Stacy Seichsnaydre, Tulane Civil Litigation Clinic
Respondent counsel / Consent Order / Jul 5, 2012
M. Lucia Blacksher, Tulane Civil Litigation Clinic
Respondent counsel / Consent Order / Jul 5, 2012
Sources, Context, and Method
What This Record Does and Does Not Show
Coast Guard suspension and revocation cases are administrative proceedings about a merchant mariner credential. They generally begin when a Coast Guard investigating officer files a complaint with the ALJ Docketing Center. Unless the case goes to a hearing and an ALJ finds the complaint allegations proved in a written decision and order, the allegations should be understood as allegations, not findings.
A settlement agreement or consent order can end the proceeding without an admission of the alleged conduct. This page therefore separates what the Coast Guard alleged from what an ALJ, Commandant appeal decision, default order, settlement order, dismissal, or other public record actually decided.
MLAA builds these pages from public Coast Guard ALJ docket data, official Coast Guard source documents, preserved docket-source proof, and available orders or decisions. We preserve source records where we can, label allegations as allegations, avoid treating docket categories as factual findings, and invite source-backed corrections when a record needs to be fixed.
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