In re Anonymous No. 96 D.B. 85

44 Pa. D. & C.3d 326
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedSeptember 3, 1987
DocketDisciplinary Board Docket No. 96 D.B. 85
StatusPublished

This text of 44 Pa. D. & C.3d 326 (In re Anonymous No. 96 D.B. 85) 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. 96 D.B. 85, 44 Pa. D. & C.3d 326 (Pa. 1987).

Opinion

HEH, member,

—To the Honorable Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania:

Pursuant to rule 208(d) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement, the disciplinary board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania submits its findings and recommendations to your Honorable Court regarding the petition for discipline captioned above.

HISTORY OF PROCEEDINGS

Respondent was admitted to practice law in the Pennsylvania on October 31, 1974. He maintains his office in [ ], Pa.

Petitioner filed a petition for discipline on December 31, 1985, which was served on respondent on January 14, 1986. The petition consisted of three charges. All three charges alleged violation of DR 1-102(A)(6), which prohibits an attorney from engaging in conduct which adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law.

Charges I and II both alleged violation of DR 1-102(A)(5), which prohibits an attorney from engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.

Charges II and III both alleged violation of the following disciplinary rules:

DR 1-102(A)(3), which prohibits an attorney from engaging in illegal conduct involving moral turpitude.

[328]*328DR 1-102(A)(4), which prohibits an attorney from engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misreprentation.

Charge I further alleged the violation of the following disciplinary rules:

DR 6-101(A)(3), which prohibits an attorney from neglecting a matter entrusted to him.

DR 7-101(A)(l), which prohibits an attorney from intentionally failing to seek the lawful objectives of his client.

DR 7-101 (A)(2), which prohibits an attorney from intentionally failing to carry out a contract of employment entered into with a client for professional services.

Charge III further alleged the violation of the fol- • lowing disciplinary rules:

DR 7-102(A)(1), which prohibits an attorney from engaging in conduct on behalf of his client when he knows or when it is obvious that such action would serve merely to harass or maliciously injure another.

DR 7-102(A)(8), which prohibits an attorney from knowingly engaging in other illegal conduct or conduct contrary to a disciplinary rule.

DR 7-104(A)(1), which prohibits an attorney from communicating or causing another to communicate on the subject of the representation with a party he knows to be represented by a lawyer in that matter unless he has the prior consent of the lawyér representing such other party or is authorized by law to do so.

Respondent filed an answer to the petition on February 10, 1986. The matter was referred to hearing committee [ ] consisting of [ ]. A hearing was held on September 23, 1986.

The hearing committee filed its report on March 10, 1987, by which the committee recommended [329]*329public censure of respondent by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania under Pa.R.D.E. 204(3) with probation.

Neither party filed exceptions and the matter was referred to the board on March 27, 1987. The board adjudicated the matter on April 10,' 1987.

The violations charged in charge I arise from respondent’s alleged failure to .take action for his client in a domestic dispute in which his client sought to regain an interest in property lost through a coerced agreement.

The violations alleged under charge II arise from respondent’s act of sending false letters to his client and disciplinary counsel in response to counsel’s inquiry into the matter contained in charge I. Respondent admitted fabricating a letter to his client which had not been sent to his client.

The violations alleged in charge III arise from the execution of an agreement between respondent’s client in that matter and the client’s wife even though respondent knew she was represented by another attorney. The agreement was executed while the other attorney was not present.

The committee found that respondent had violated DR 1-102(A)(5) and DR 6-101(A)(3) regarding charge I. The committee, however, found no violation of DR 1-102(A)(6), DR 7-101(A)(l) and DR 7-101(A)(2).

Regarding charge II, the committee found that respondent had violated DR 1-102(A)(3), DR 1-102(A)(4), DR 1-102(A)(5) and DR 1-102(A)(6). The committee reasoned that respondent could not take issue with the conclusion on charges I and II as there is no factual dispute between the parties on these matters.

The committee found that respondent had not violated any of the disciplinary rules alleged in [330]*330charge III, concluding that the evidence does not support any of the allegations. The committee found that the wife of respondent’s client had discharged her attorney and that respondent advised her of her right to counsel.

The committee recommended public censure based on In Re Anonymous No. 61 DB 82, 29 D.&C.3d 534 (1983), and rejected respondent’s assertion that private reprimand would serve the purposes of disciplinary enforcement. The committee stated that but for respondent’s lack of a prior record and good standing in the community the committee would recommend disbarment or suspension.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Charge I The [A] matter

(1) In 1983, [A] retained respondent concerning two legal matters.

(2) One concerned her dispute with her former husband, [B], over a previously executed agreement wherein she agreed to convey her interest in jointly owned real estate to [B], which agreement [A] contended she signed only by reason of coercion and threats made to her by [B].

(3) Respondent agreed to do what was necessary to regain her rightful share or interest in the property, and [A] paid him a retainer fee of $100.

(4) Respondent prepared a complaint in equity against [B] and [A] signed the affidavit thereto.

(5) Respondent never filed the complaint and never advised [A] of his failure to do so.

(6) For approximately six months at the end of 1983 and in early 1984, respondent failed to return numerous telephone calls from [A] and failed to provide her with any information concerning the status of the matter.

[331]*331Charge II Respondent’s fabricated letter to [A],

(7) Disciplinary counsel sent to respondent a letter dated September 26, 1984, containing allegations that respondent had failed to proceed in a timely manner in his representation of [A]..

. (8) Respondent prepared a response dated October 17, 1984, to the letter from disciplinary counsel wherein he stated he had written [A] a letter dated November 14, 1983, and enclosed therewith a copy of said letter.

(9) Respondent prepared the November 14, 1983, letter after receiving the September 26, 1984, letter from disciplinary counsel; such letter had never been sent to [A]. The reference to such letter in respondent’s October 17,1984, letter was untrue.

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