Writing for a per curiam court, the justices held that Mirza's "violent, abusive, and aberrant" behavior demonstrated he "lacks the character and integrity necessary to the practice of law." The decision rejected a referee's recommendation for only a one-year retroactive suspension.
The case centered on Mirza's sustained campaign of abuse against his then-wife S.E.S. between 2018 and 2020, which resulted in his conviction for felony stalking and misdemeanor criminal trespass, both with domestic abuse modifiers. The parties stipulated to facts showing Mirza used "vulgar and abusive language" toward S.E.S. over two years, physically injured her by flipping her over a couch, entered her home without consent to suggest a sexual threesome, peered through her windows at night, and made violent threats.
The court delivered harsh criticism when addressing Mirza's recorded threats against his ex-wife, quoting his words to her brother: "That's how much of a fucking whore she is! You get a fucking handle on your fucking dumb sister because she is affecting my kids and at some point I am going to cut her throat in a way that's so FUCKING SPECTACULAR that you would think September 11th is a fucking joke." The court noted that during the same call, Mirza stated he wanted to "punch [S.E.S.] to death."
The case had a complex procedural history, with the court initially vacating a referee's report in February 2025 and remanding for clarity on which criminal acts could form the basis for discipline. The parties eventually reached a stipulation in September 2025 that significantly narrowed the factual record.
The court firmly rejected arguments in Mirza's favor, including claims that his conduct lacked selfish motivation. "Unlike the referee, we decline to categorize Attorney Mirza's sustained course of abusive, controlling behavior toward S.E.S. as lacking a selfish motivation; his conduct demonstrated an intent to control an intimate partner through violence and intimidation, which is inherently selfish," the court wrote.
However, three justices dissented from the revocation decision. Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote that while Mirza's actions were "abhorrent" and deserving of "significant sanction," revocation appeared inconsistent with past cases and raised "concerns about whether this court is being evenhanded in its dispensing of attorney discipline."
The court ordered Mirza to pay $24,056.22 in disciplinary proceeding costs and set the revocation effective date as October 30, 2023—the date his license was initially suspended following his criminal conviction.