DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has suspended the law license of the former Madison County Attorney for 18 months for violating attorney rules of ethical conduct including having sex with a client and then assaulting her when the relationship deteriorated. It was significantly more lenient than an attorney disciplinary board’s recommendation of a four-year suspension.

Court documents filed Friday say 57-year old Anthony Zane Blessum engaged in a sexual relationship with a client in 2011 and was convicted of repeatedly striking her in 2013. He also was found to have improperly handled client funds. Blessum was the Madison County attorney from 1986 to 1997. He recently has practiced law in his own office in Des Moines.