In the Matter of Best

Supreme Court of Georgia

In the Matter of Best

622 S.E.2d 337, 280 Ga. 55, 2005 Fulton County D. Rep. 3502, 2005 Ga. LEXIS 820

CourtSupreme Court of Georgia

DecidedNovember 21, 2005

DocketS05Y1880, S05Y1881, S05Y1882, S05Y1883, S05Y1884, S05Y1885, S05Y1886, S05Y1887

StatusPublished

Cited by2 cases

This text of 622 S.E.2d 337 (In the Matter of Best) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

In the Matter of Best, 622 S.E.2d 337, 280 Ga. 55, 2005 Fulton County D. Rep. 3502, 2005 Ga. LEXIS 820 (Ga. 2005).

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Opinion

Per curiam.

These disciplinary matters'are before the Court on the Notices of Discipline filed by the State Bar against Respondent Charles Douglas Best in which it recommends that Best be disbarred for his violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4, 8.4 (a) (4), and 9.3 of the Rules of Professional Conduct found in Bar Rule 4-102 (d). The State Bar served Best by publication in accordance with Bar Rule 4-203.1 (b) (3) (ii) but Best failed to reject the notices within 30 days of service, see Bar Rule 4-208.3 (a), and accordingly, he is in default, has no right to an evidentiary hearing and is subject to the discipline of this Court, see Bar Rule 4-208.1 (b). 1

In each of the eight cases, Best accepted representation and fees, but took little or no action to pursue his clients’ cases. His telephone numbers were disconnected and he moved from his office with no forwarding address. He did not contact or communicate with his clients, nor did he take any action to protect their rights. Accordingly, we agree with the State Bar that the appropriate discipline in this case is disbarment. We hereby order that the name of Charles *56 Douglas Best be removed from the rolls of attorneys authorized to practice law in the State of Georgia. He is reminded of his duties under Bar Rule 4-219 (c).

Decided November 21, 2005. William P. Smith III, General Counsel State Bar, Paula J. Frederick, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia.

Disbarred.

All the Justices concur.

1

We note that, for the first time, Best has filed a petition for voluntary surrender of his license with this Court. In general, however, such petitions may be submitted prior to the issuance of a formal complaint for the consideration by the State Bar, not this Court. See Bar Rule 4-227 (b). Therefore, we do not consider Best’s untimely petition, and it does not change the outcome in this case.

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Per curiam.

These disciplinary matters'are before the Court on the Notices of Discipline filed by the State Bar against Respondent Charles Douglas Best in which it recommends that Best be disbarred for his violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4, 8.4 (a) (4), and 9.3 of the Rules of Professional Conduct found in Bar Rule 4-102 (d). The State Bar served Best by publication in accordance with Bar Rule 4-203.1 (b) (3) (ii) but Best failed to reject the notices within 30 days of service, see Bar Rule 4-208.3 (a), and accordingly, he is in default, has no right to an evidentiary hearing and is subject to the discipline of this Court, see Bar Rule 4-208.1 (b). 1

In each of the eight cases, Best accepted representation and fees, but took little or no action to pursue his clients’ cases. His telephone numbers were disconnected and he moved from his office with no forwarding address. He did not contact or communicate with his clients, nor did he take any action to protect their rights. Accordingly, we agree with the State Bar that the appropriate discipline in this case is disbarment. We hereby order that the name of Charles *56 Douglas Best be removed from the rolls of attorneys authorized to practice law in the State of Georgia. He is reminded of his duties under Bar Rule 4-219 (c).

Decided November 21, 2005. William P. Smith III, General Counsel State Bar, Paula J. Frederick, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia.

Disbarred.

All the Justices concur.

1

We note that, for the first time, Best has filed a petition for voluntary surrender of his license with this Court. In general, however, such petitions may be submitted prior to the issuance of a formal complaint for the consideration by the State Bar, not this Court. See Bar Rule 4-227 (b). Therefore, we do not consider Best’s untimely petition, and it does not change the outcome in this case.

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Bluebook (online)

622 S.E.2d 337, 280 Ga. 55, 2005 Fulton County D. Rep. 3502, 2005 Ga. LEXIS 820, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-matter-of-best-ga-2005.

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