In re Anonymous No. 21 D.B. 81

25 Pa. D. & C.3d 721
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 14, 1983
DocketDisciplinary docket no. 21 D.B. 81
StatusPublished

This text of 25 Pa. D. & C.3d 721 (In re Anonymous No. 21 D.B. 81) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Anonymous No. 21 D.B. 81, 25 Pa. D. & C.3d 721 (Pa. 1983).

Opinion

McDONNELL, Chairman,

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CASE

[Respondent], a practicing attorney of the Commonwealth, represented [A], a prisoner in the [ ] County Jail, in a proceeding before Judge [I] of the [ ] Court of Common Pleas which resulted in an order dated August 6, 1980, transferrring [A] to [ ] State Hospital for medical examination and treatment.

On August 18, 1980, respondent, with [B], father of said [A], appeared at the hospital, on the Psychiatric Ward, to see said [A]. During the subsequeht hour, certain events took place involving respondent, [B], [A], Dr. [C], Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. [D], Staff Psychiatrist on the Ward, Nurse [E], Psychiatric Aide, and security personnel. At the end of said period of time, respondent, [B] and [A], all left the hospital.

The first issue is whether or not respondent ordered the representatives of the hospital to release [A], or removed or assisted [B] in removing [A] from the hospital, without the knowledge, permission or consent of the court and in violation of the aforementioned court order. The hearing committee has determined that respondent did not order the representatives of the hospital to release [A]; nor, did he remove or assist [B] in removing [A] from the hospital.

[722]*722Respondent went with [B] and [A] to see the family doctor and then took [A] to the [ ] Psychiatric Institute where the father signed the papers necessary for the admission of [A] to said hospital. The following day, August 19, 1980, respondent, with [B], went to the [ ] County Courthouse and ultimately appeared before [F], President Judge of [ ] County Court of Common Pleas. A hearing, the nature of which was not disclosed to respondent, took place with testimony being recorded and the district attorney being present. The issue raised as a result of the events which took place in said hearing is whether or not respondent lied to Judge [F] and/or attempted to mislead him. The hearing committee has determined that respondent, when asked about the whereabouts of [A], lied and attempted to mislead the court when he replied, “As far as I know, he’s in [ ] State Hospital.” Said conduct on the part of respondent constituted a violation of Disciplinary Rule 1-102(A)(4): A lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; and a violation of Disciplinary Rule 1-102(A)(5): A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.

However, the hearing committee has also determined that the other statements made by respondent in the hearing aforesaid did not constitute lies or attempts to mislead the court. In the mind of respondent those statements were true.

Finally, after a second hearing, designated a probable cause hearing held during the afternoon of August 19, 1980, said Judge [F] of the [ ] Court of Common Pleas issued an order directed to respondent to produce [A] to the [ ] County Prison no later than 7:00 pm on August 19, 1980, and suspending the privilege of said respondent to practice [723]*723law in the [ ] Judicial District of Pennsylvania. It was stipulated that respondent failed to effect the return of [A] to the [ ] County Prison by 7:00 pm August 19, 1980. The third issue is whether or not respondent’s failure to do so constituted a violation of a Disciplinary Rule of the Code of Professional Responsibility. The hearing committee concludes that it did not.

A CONCISE STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The petition for discipline filed toNo.21D.B. 81 against respondent, [ ], Esq., avers that respondent, by his conduct during the events of August 18, 1980, and August 19, 1980, has violated the following (11) Disciplinary Rules of the Code of Professional Responsibility:

D.R. 1-102(A)(3): A lawyer shall not engage in illegal conduct involving moral turpitude;

D.R. 1-102(A)(4): A lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation;

D.R. 1-102(A)(5): A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice;

D.R. 1-102(A)(6): A lawyer shall not engage in any other conduct that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law;

D.R. 7-102(A)(3): In his representation of a client, a lawyer shall not conceal or knowingly fail to disclose that which he is required by law to reveal;

D.R. 7-102(A)(4): In his representation of a client, a lawyer shall not knowingly use perjured testimony or false evidence;

D.R. 7-102(A)(5): In his representation of a client, a lawyer shall not make a false statement of law and fact;

[724]*724D.R. 7-102(A)(7): In his representation of a client, a lawyer shall not counsel or assist his client in conduct that the lawyer knows to be illegal or fraudulent;

D.R. 7-102(A)(8): In his representation of a client, a lawyer shall not knowingly engage in other illegal conduct or conduct contrary to a Disciplinary Rule;

D.R. 7-106(A): A lawyer shall not disregard or advise his client to disregard a standing rule of a tribunal or a ruling of a tribunal made in the course of a proceeding, but he may take appropriate steps in good faith to test the validity of such rule or ruling; and,

D.R. 7-106(C)(6): In appearing in his professional capacity before a tribunal, a lawyer shall not engage in undignified or discourteous conduct which is degrading to a tribunal.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Respondent is [ ] Esq., an attorney admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Paragraph 2 of Petition for Discipline admitted in Answer).

2. [A] was a defendant in criminal proceeding No. [ ] and No. [ ] in the Court of Common Pleas of [ ] County (Exhibit P-1) who had been committed to [ ] County Prison on February 13, 1980.

3. Respondent represented [A] in a proceeding before Judge [I] of the Court of Common Pleas of [ ] County resulting in a transfer of [A] from prison to [ ] State Hospital for medical examination and treatment (Exhibits P-1; P-2) (Paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Petition for Discipline admitted in Answer).

4. [A] was transferred from said prison to [ ] State Hospital August 7,1980 (stipulation NT 8 and [725]*725Paragraph 7 of Petition for Discipline admitted by Answer).

5. On August 18, 1980, in the morning, respondent and [B] (father of [A]) were seen in the lobby [ ] State Hospital Admissions Building by Dr. [C], Superintendent of said Hospital (NT 91, 92).

6. Respondent told Dr. [C] he was a lawyer and wanted to see a client on the third floor Psychiatric Ward.

7. Dr. [C], using a key which was required in order to operate the elevator, permitted respondent and [B] on the elevator and directed them to the nurses’ station on the third floor ward. On the third floor, Dr. [D], Staff Psychiatrist in charge of the male admissions ward and [A’s] attending psychiatrist, first saw respondent and [B] in the ward approaching from the elevator.

8. Respondent and [B] introduced themselves to Dr. [D] as [A’s] attorney and father.

9. Dr. [D] had no word that would warn her of the arrival of respondent and [B] (the usual procedure — NT 17) and asked several times who let them on the elevator.

10. Respondent and [B] kept requesting to see [A] and walked about halfway from the hallway into the nurses’ office.

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Bluebook (online)
25 Pa. D. & C.3d 721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-anonymous-no-21-db-81-pa-1983.