What Verdica's 796 score means for David W. Pease
David W. Pease's composite score of 796 out of 850 places him in the "strong" band (740–799), indicating a legal provider with solid regulatory standing and a clean disciplinary record. This score reflects data aggregated from Missouri state bar records and practice history—the primary sources regulators use to track attorney conduct and eligibility.
A score in this range suggests that an attorney has maintained bar membership in good standing and has not attracted significant disciplinary action. For a business owner or consumer evaluating a legal provider, a 796 score signals lower regulatory risk compared to providers in the "elevated" (580–669) or "acceptable" (670–739) bands. However, it falls short of the "excellent" threshold (800–850), which represents the highest tier of regulatory compliance.
Readers should interpret this score as a baseline credibility marker: Pease has met Missouri's licensing requirements and has not been subject to major disciplinary sanctions on record. This is a meaningful signal, but it is not a comprehensive quality or competency assessment. The score is built on regulatory data only—bar standing, disciplinary history, and practice profile—and does not account for client satisfaction, case outcomes, or specialized expertise.
How the sub-scores break down
Bar Standing (790/850): This sub-score reflects Pease's current license status and compliance with Missouri bar requirements. A score of 790 indicates active, good standing with no major licensing impediments. Attorneys in good standing have maintained their annual license fees, completed continuing legal education (CLE) requirements, and have not been suspended or disbarred. A lower score in this category would flag active license restrictions, inactive status, or pending disciplinary suspensions.
Disciplinary History (850/850): This is a perfect sub-score, indicating no recorded disciplinary actions by the Missouri bar. Attorneys receive lower scores in this dimension if they have been subject to formal complaints, bar counsel investigations, reprimands, probations, or sanctions. A perfect score means Pease has no public disciplinary record in Missouri's bar database—a strong compliance signal. Note that this reflects only formal, recorded bar action; it does not account for civil disputes, malpractice settlements, or client complaints that did not result in bar discipline.
Practice Profile (700/850): This sub-score is the lowest of the three, at 700. The practice profile dimension evaluates factors such as years in practice, jurisdiction coverage, and other observable practice characteristics tracked by bar records. A score of 700 in this category may indicate a newer practice, limited geographic scope, or other profile factors that differ from peer benchmarks. This does not indicate misconduct; rather, it reflects the shape and scale of the practice as recorded in bar data.
What regulators in MO track for legal providers
Missouri's bar disciplinary system, overseen by the Missouri Supreme Court's Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, maintains records on all licensed attorneys. Regulators track several key compliance dimensions:
Licensing and bar standing: Active licenses, fee payment status, CLE hour compliance, and any suspension or disbarment orders.
Disciplinary history: Formal complaints filed against attorneys, investigations, findings of professional misconduct (including violation of the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct), and sanctions ranging from reprimands to suspension.
Practice records: Years in practice, practice areas, jurisdictions served, and other observable characteristics reported through bar registration and mandatory disclosures.
Infractions that lower scores include violations such as neglect of client matters, failure to communicate, mishandling of client funds, dishonesty, unauthorized practice, and violations of court orders. Scores improve with a clear disciplinary record and consistent license renewal compliance.
Bottom line
Pease's 796 score indicates a legally compliant provider with no disciplinary red flags on Missouri bar records. Before engaging his services, verify the specific practice areas and jurisdictions match your needs, and consider requesting references or reviewing any available case history—data points outside Verdica's regulatory scope.