ATTORNEY GRIEV. COMM'N OF MARYLAND v. Rohrback

591 A.2d 488, 323 Md. 79, 1991 Md. LEXIS 107
CourtCourt of Appeals of Maryland
DecidedJune 26, 1991
DocketMisc. Docket (Subtitle BV) No. 25, September Term, 1989
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 591 A.2d 488 (ATTORNEY GRIEV. COMM'N OF MARYLAND v. Rohrback) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
ATTORNEY GRIEV. COMM'N OF MARYLAND v. Rohrback, 591 A.2d 488, 323 Md. 79, 1991 Md. LEXIS 107 (Md. 1991).

Opinions

[83]*83RODOWSKY, Judge.

Respondent, Maynard R. Rohrback (Rohrback), is a solo practitioner whose office is in the Glen Burnie area of Anne Arundel County. One morning in August 1987 Rohrback received a telephone call from a client who had been arrested and who had given a false name to the arresting officer. Rohrback was thereby plunged into a legal ethics nightmare, the conflict under Maryland’s unique version of the new ABA Rules of Professional Conduct between his duty of confidentiality to his client and his duty of candor to tribunals and third parties. For a time Rohrback successfully navigated the course, but, ultimately, he was carried over the edge.

Rohrback’s client was Lloyd Francis Asbury (Asbury), an alcoholic construction worker and former Florida resident. In late December 1986 Asbury had consulted Rohrback concerning marital law problems. Asbury also owned one or more properties in Glen Burnie, which were tenanted in whole or in part and with respect to which Rohrback had represented Asbury.

On February 28, 1987, Asbury had been arrested in Anne Arundel County for driving while intoxicated (DWI). A few days thereafter Asbury retained Rohrback for the criminal charges and for related proceedings before the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), arising out of Asbury’s refusal to take a chemical test for intoxication.

Asbury had at least three prior convictions for DWI or for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), two of which were within the five years preceding the Anne Arundel County arrest. His Maryland driver’s license had been revoked from October 1984 to January 1986 because of a May 1984 DWI conviction. Prior to that, Asbury’s license had been suspended because of a September 1982 DUI conviction. At the March 1987 MVA hearing Asbury’s license was again suspended, this time for nine months, with any reinstatement conditioned on Medical Board approval. Rohrback noted an appeal on Asbury’s behalf from [84]*84this administrative determination, but that appeal was later voluntarily dismissed.

In connection with the DWI charges of February 1987 the State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County gave notice that Asbury would be charged as a subsequent offender. Originally set for trial in the District Court in July, the case was removed by prayer for jury trial to the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County where, on August 25, it was awaiting trial.

Early in the morning of August 25, in Baltimore City, Asbury was again arrested for DWI and again refused a breath test. Asbury identified himself to the arresting officer as Lloyd Francis Boland and presented a Florida driver’s license issued to him in that name at a Florida address. Asbury was taken to the Southern Police District in Baltimore City and booked as Boland with the Florida address.

Before Rohrback had left his home on the morning of the 25th he received a telephone call from Asbury who was confined at the Southern District. Asbury asked Rohrback to get him out of jail on bail. They agreed on a $250 legal fee which was later paid. Asbury told Rohrback to ask for him under the name of Boland, explaining that he had a Florida license issued to him as Lloyd Francis Boland which he had presented to the arresting officer.1

At the lock-up Rohrback told Asbury that Rohrback would have to tell the bail bondsman that “Boland” was Asbury, that Asbury had another DWI charge pending, and that the correct address was Asbury’s address in Glen Burnie. Asbury consented to these disclosures. Rohrback also told Asbury that Rohrback would attempt to get for [85]*85Asbury other counsel to try the criminal charges, because Rohrback felt very uncomfortable over Asbury’s having given the name Boland to the arresting officer.

Rohrback telephoned a bondsman, disclosing that “Boland” was Asbury, that Asbury had another DWI charge pending in Anne Arundel County, that his residence was in Glen Burnie and not Florida, and that Rohrback believed Asbury was a good risk.

Asbury, as Boland, and the bondsman appeared before a Commissioner of the District Court. Bail was set at $1,000. The bondsman completed the District Court bail bond form in the name of Boland, using Asbury’s Glen Burnie address. Asbury signed the form as Boland and the bondsman signed for the surety. The commissioner signed under a line reading “SIGNED, sealed, and acknowledged before me.”

Rohrback was in the same room during these proceedings before the commissioner, but he remained at some unspecified distance from Asbury and the bondsman.2 Rohrback remained silent, neither identifying himself as counsel for “Boland,” nor telling the commissioner that “Boland” was Asbury.

In these disciplinary proceedings Rohrback was asked if he did not “feel a duty ... to tell the Commissioner of the two names.” Rohrback replied:

“I, again, was torn because I knew that he was being charged under Boland and he had the other charges under Asbury, and I wasn’t sure whether I should say anything to the Commissioner or not, because Mr. Asbury had made it plain to me back in the lock-up that his main concern was getting out of that jail. That is what he had me there for, and he told me if they know about me being [86]*86Asbury, they are either going to make me post a lot of bail or they might not even release me at all, so I don’t want them to know. [He sjaid I am going to go through with it as Boland.”

While Rohrback was at the Southern District that morning, he placed a telephone call to a fellow attorney and private practitioner, seeking advice on how to handle the situation. That attorney was either unavailable or unable to give an immediate answer.

Following Asbury’s release on bail as Boland, Rohrback repeatedly urged Asbury to reveal, or to authorize Rohrback to reveal, that Boland was Asbury. Rohrback also talked to other attorneys about his dilemma. Without revealing his client’s identity Rohrback spoke to an Assistant State’s Attorney for Baltimore City who was assigned to the Southern District and who suggested that Rohrback discuss the matter with a specified, more experienced prosecutor. Rohrback spoke with that prosecutor, who suggested that Rohrback explain the facts to the arresting officer who might then change the name of the defendant on the Maryland Uniform Complaint and Citation forms which that officer had issued. Rohrback attempted to reach the officer by telephone and left messages, but the officer did not return the calls.

The criminal charges against “Boland” were set for trial on October 19, 1987, before the District Court in Baltimore City. Rohrback had not agreed to represent Asbury at that trial. A few days prior to the trial date, Rohrback, while in Ocean City, Maryland, received word through his secretary that Asbury wanted Rohrback to represent him. Rohrback sent word back to Asbury that Rohrback could not appear, that Asbury should appear unrepresented, and either obtain a postponement or, if that were denied, pray a jury trial.

Asbury appeared unrepresented on October 19 in the courtroom of Judge Andre Davis, then of the District Court. Utilizing powers of observation that had been fine tuned by experience, Asbury concluded that Judge Davis was grant[87]*87ing probation before judgment (PBJ) in first offender DWI cases, and imposing a fine.3 Asbury decided to stand trial.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Gillespie
Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2025
Nilhan Developers, LLC
N.D. Georgia, 2021
In re the Disbarment of Rogers
60 V.I. 293 (Supreme Court of The Virgin Islands, 2013)
Attorney Grievance Commission v. Paul
31 A.3d 512 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2011)
Attorney Grievance Commission v. Gordon
991 A.2d 51 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2010)
Attorney Grievance Commission v. McClain
817 A.2d 218 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2003)
Marshall v. Ilczuk
61 F.3d 900 (First Circuit, 1995)
ATTORNEY GRIEV. COMM'N OF MARYLAND v. Kemp
641 A.2d 510 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1994)
Harris v. Baltimore Sun Co.
625 A.2d 941 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1993)
ATTORNEY GRIEV. COMM'N OF MARYLAND v. Rohrback
591 A.2d 488 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
591 A.2d 488, 323 Md. 79, 1991 Md. LEXIS 107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/attorney-griev-commn-of-maryland-v-rohrback-md-1991.