ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A formal complaint has been filed with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner for her handling of the former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens case.

During the Greitens pretrial hearings, Gardner was accused of withholding evidence and suborning perjury.

Legal Ethics Lawyer Michael Downey, who is not connected to the case, says a complaint doesn't always lead to a formal charge.

“Certainly if it was knowing misconduct, it could be a very serious discipline and could result in the prosecutor losing their law license,” he says.

Lesser penalties if found guilty could be an admonishment or temporary suspension of a law license.

Gardner's office and Greitens' legal team are not confirming nor denying that a complaint has been filed.

The timetable for a complaint to run its course is three to six months.