New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Judicial Department suspended Columbia County attorney Joseph Battaglia, based in Ghent, March 22 from practicing law. Battaglia, who has been a lawyer since 1980, is under investigation for alleged professional misconduct, but was suspended because he "failed to fully comply with AGC's lawful demand for his information and records concerning these complaints. Moreover, respondent also failed to respond to AGC's numerous notices to appear for examination and failed to appear at any of the scheduled examinations at AGC's offices, even after being directed to do so pursuant to a judicial subpoena issued by this Court." He has 20 days to request a post-suspension hearing, and if he does not reply in six months he could be disbarred.