In re Reinstatement of Williams

433 N.W.2d 104, 1988 Minn. LEXIS 297, 1988 WL 136716
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedDecember 23, 1988
DocketNo. CX-79-50365
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 433 N.W.2d 104 (In re Reinstatement of Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Reinstatement of Williams, 433 N.W.2d 104, 1988 Minn. LEXIS 297, 1988 WL 136716 (Mich. 1988).

Opinions

OPINION

POPOVICH, Justice.

Gary L. Williams (“petitioner”), originally admitted in 1967, petitioned for reinstatement to the practice of law. Petitioner was suspended from the practice of law on June 5, 1981, because he was unable to assist in his defense of the disciplinary proceedings brought against him. On May 5, 1988, the matter was heard before a panel of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board, which recommended against reinstatement. We disagree and order reinstatement with conditions.

I.

A petition for disciplinary action was filed against petitioner, Gary L. Williams, on July 27, 1979. On July 81, petitioner entered into a stipulation and was suspended from the practice of law pending final determination of the disciplinary proceedings. He filed a response to the petition for disciplinary action on September 24, 1979. On January 29, 1981, petitioner amended his response to request an indefinite suspension from the practice of law because he was unable to assist in his own defense. A stipulation was agreed to by petitioner and the Director of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board suspending petitioner from the practice of law until such time as he might seek reinstatement or become capable of assisting in his defense. Upon this stipulation, petitioner was suspended by order of this court on June 5, 1981, until such time as he would be competent to assist in his defense.

A petition for reinstatement was filed by petitioner on July 7, 1987. Petitioner alleged he was ready to pursue reinstate[105]*105ment and the disciplinary proceedings leading to resumption of the practice of law. After reviewing the petition for disciplinary action against petitioner, the Director determined that even if all of the allegations contained in the petition could be proven, the misconduct would not warrant more than an eight-year suspension. Petitioner admitted to the following rule violations and acts of misconduct:

1. He misrepresented to his client the status of a custody matter he was handling for her;
2. His claim of $300 as his fee on a client’s bankruptcy petition did not constitute the entire consideration given to him by the client;
3. He informed the bankruptcy trustee that there would not be any tax refunds for his client. Shortly thereafter the bankruptcy estate was closed. Later, when it became apparent that there would be substantial tax refunds petitioner did not seek to reopen the bankrupt estate or inform the court or trustee of the refunds. Petitioner kept the client’s tax refunds; and
4. He failed to file timely state and federal income tax returns for tax years 1976 through 1984.

The Director agreed to withdraw all other allegations denied by petitioner. The Director and petitioner agreed that if the panel found petitioner was morally, emotionally and psychologically fit to resume the practice of law, a stipulation between the Director and petitioner would be submitted admitting the acts of misconduct and rule violations and no further discipline would be imposed.

A hearing was held on May 5, 1988, before a panel of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board pursuant to Rules 18(c) and 28(d), Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility (RLPR). On May 13, 1988, the panel filed its recommendation that petitioner had not proven psychological fitness to resume the practice of law and reinstatement be denied.

II.

Petitioner argued in his brief and at oral argument that the Director has the burden of proof on all issues related to petitioner’s initial disciplinary hearing other than his mental condition. As such, petitioner contends it is not his burden to prove moral character since none of the disciplinary allegations brought against him in 1979 were proven because the proceedings were suspended.

Under the current rules, petitioner’s indefinite suspension due to inability to assist in his own defense would be governed by Rule 28(b)(2), RLPR. Under this rule, we may reinstate a lawyer to active status upon a showing that the lawyer is fit to resume the practice of law. Rule 28(d), RLPR. Petitioner was indefinitely suspended in 1981, however, prior to the passage of Rule 28 in 1982.

Petitioner is correct that under ordinary circumstances if he would provide sufficient proof that he is able to assist in his defense of the original disciplinary proceedings, the Director would bear the burden of proving the allegations against him raised in the original complaint. However, at the panel hearing petitioner admitted to four of the allegations raised in the original complaint. The Director agreed to withdraw any additional allegations currently denied by the petitioner. The Director also determined that even if all the allegations of misconduct were proven, the misconduct would not warrant more than the eight-year suspension which petitioner had already served. Therefore, as a result of these admissions by both parties, there is no longer any controversy surrounding the disciplinary allegations raised in the 1979 petition for disciplinary action.

Petitioner is now placed in a role similar to that of an individual who has been indefinitely suspended as a result of disciplinary violations and must seek reinstatement to resume the practice of law.1 This situation [106]*106is analogous to In re Disciplinary Action Against Pyles, 421 N.W.2d 321 (Minn.1988). Pyles was indefinitely suspended as the result of serious professional violations, the majority of which he admitted. Id. at 323. As mitigating circumstances, Pyles claimed the various instances of misconduct were the direct result of a psychological disability. We held that Pyles failed to show by “clear and convincing” evidence his acts of misconduct were caused by his psychological problems. Id. at 325. Nevertheless, as one of the conditions of his reinstatement, we said, “Pyles must prove to this court, by clear and convincing evidence, that he has fully overcome his psychological disability.” Id. at 327, n. 5.

Petitioner admitted in his brief and at oral argument that he bears the burden of proving he is psychologically fit to resume the practice of law. At the panel hearing petitioner expressed his agreement with the standard of proof used to assess his present moral, emotional and psychological fitness:

Mr. Gernes: All right. As I look at the matter, the central question here you mentioned psychological fitness, but I know what we’ll be addressing today using the Rule is whether or not you, Mr. Williams, through this hearing have proved by clear and convincing evidence your present moral, emotional and psychological fitness to practice law. Do you have any disagreement with that being the standard in this case?
Mr. Williams: I have no problem with that.

Petitioner must now show by clear and convincing evidence that he has met this burden.

III.

In support of his petition for reinstatement, petitioner presented testimony by psychiatrist Dr. Lowell Wigdahl and a psychological testing evaluation by Donna Wit-thaus. Dr. Wigdahl first saw petitioner on April 18, 1979. Before that date petitioner had seen several other physicians. Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
433 N.W.2d 104, 1988 Minn. LEXIS 297, 1988 WL 136716, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-reinstatement-of-williams-minn-1988.