Louisiana State Bar Ass'n v. Williams

518 So. 2d 1005, 1988 La. LEXIS 45, 1988 WL 1924
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 18, 1988
DocketNo. 86-B-1720
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 518 So. 2d 1005 (Louisiana State Bar Ass'n v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Louisiana State Bar Ass'n v. Williams, 518 So. 2d 1005, 1988 La. LEXIS 45, 1988 WL 1924 (La. 1988).

Opinion

MARCUS, Justice.

The Louisiana State Bar Association, through its Committee on Professional Responsibility, instituted a proceeding against Larry Preston Williams on August 25, 1986.1 Prior to the commencement of this proceeding, the committee had conducted investigations of respondent’s alleged misconduct in accordance with article 15, section 3 of the articles of incorporation of the association. Notice of the proceedings which involved four specifications of misconduct, was sent to respondent by certified and regular mail dated February 6, 1986.2 Respondent was also personally served with a subpoena duces tecum requiring him to appear at the proceedings and furnish the committee with his finan[1007]*1007cial records relating to a sum he received in connection with the representation of a client named Percy Herbert.

The committee held a formal investigative hearing on these specifications on March 14 and April 28, 1986, as provided in article 15, section 3(b) of the articles of incorporation. Respondent was present on both days without counsel.

Based upon its investigation conducted at this hearing, the committee, by a unanimous vote, was of the opinion that respondent was guilty of a violation of the laws of this state relating to the professional conduct of lawyers and to the practice of law of sufficient gravity as to evidence a lack of moral fitness for the practice of law. Specifically, the committee found that respondent was guilty of the misconduct described in Specifications 2, 3 and 4.

On August 25, 1986, the committee filed a suit for disciplinary action against respondent in this court under the provisions of article 15, section 4(c) of the articles of incorporation. Respondent did not file an answer to the petition.

The court, by order, then appointed Ms. Sheila C. Myers as commissioner to take evidence and file a report with this court setting forth her findings of fact and conclusions of law. Louisiana State Bar Association Articles of Incorporation, article 15, section 6(b) and (d).

A hearing before the commissioner was held on April 7 and 28, 1987. Respondent was present and represented himself. The committee introduced in evidence the entire record of the earlier investigative hearing whereupon the committee rested its case subject to any cross-examination. Respondent, representing himself, called numerous witnesses, introduced documentary evidence, and testified on his own behalf.3 Thereafter, the commissioner filed with this court her written report on August 20, 1987, wherein she stated her findings of fact and conclusions of law and recommended that the previous three-year suspension be further qualified with certain conditions to be complied with prior to his reinstatement. (At the time the commissioner made her recommendations, respondent had not been disbarred.) The committee concurred in part and opposed in part the commissioner’s findings and recommendation for discipline. After oral argument before this court, the matter was submitted for our determination on the record before the commissioner.

The bar association has the burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence that respondent was guilty of the alleged specifications of misconduct. Louisiana State Bar Association v. Dowd, 445 So.2d 723 (La.1984). The following allegations of misconduct have been made against respondent. 4

Specification No. 2 alleged:

That in your capacity as Attorney at Law, you were retained to represent the interest of one Percy Herbert in a criminal ease. That on or about October 20, 1983, you sent a letter to Mr. Herbert wherein you informed him that you would represent him in his efforts to obtain his release from the Feliciana Forensic Facility upon receipt of $1,000.00 as payment for medical expenses and $5,000.00 for attorney’s fees. You did further inform him that in the event the trial court did not grant his release, you would refund to him the sum of $2,500.00 [1008]*1008upon [a] ruling adverse to him from the Louisiana Supreme Court. That either prior to or subsequent to your letter of October 30, 1983, you did enter into a hand written contract with Percy Herbert wherein you agreed to represent Mr. Herbert for the sum of $6,200.00 allotting no more than $1,200.00 for medical expert testimony fees. The balance of $5,000.00 was to be considered your attorney’s fees. That you further agreed that if you were unable to obtain Mr. Herbert’s release at the next scheduled hearing that you would refund to Mr. Herbert $2,500.00 within thirty (3) [sic] days after an unfavorable ruling by the Louisiana Supreme Court and reconsideration. That on or about October 27th of 1983, you did enroll as counsel of record in a case entitled State of Louisiana vs. Percy Herbert, case number 276135 on the docket of the Criminal District Court for Orleans Parish. That ultimately, the hearing concerning Mr. Herbert’s release from the Feliciana Forensic Facility was held on August the 21st of 1984. Mr. Herbert was ordered recommitted and was not released from the facility. That you made no refund of $2,500.00 to Mr. Herbert. That you have entered into a contingent fee arrangement for representing a defendant in a criminal case. That you have engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; and conduct that adversely reflects on your fitness to practice law; all in violation of Disciplinary Rules DR 2-106(C)[5] and DR 1-102(A)(4)(5)(6)[6) of the Code of Professional Responsibility of the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Specification No. 4 alleged:

That you did receive the sum of money from Percy Herbert or on his behalf in the amount of either $1,000.00 or $1,200.00 which was specifically to be used for medical expenses in the nature of expert witness’ fees. That at the hearing on August 21, 1984, you did not call any medical witnesses or expert witnesses. That having received the sum of between $1,000.00 and $1,200.00 for expert witnesses’ fees, and having failed, neglected, or refused to call and/or arrange for expert witnesses for said hearing, you have neglected a legal matter entrusted. That you have failed, neglected, and refused to refund to your client the $1,000.00 or $1,200.00 which was paid to you specifically for expert witness fees and have, therefore, converted said sum of money to your own use. That in doing so, you have engaged in illegal conduct involving moral turpitude, conduct involving dishonesty, deceit, fraud, or misrepresentation, conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice and conduct that adversely reflects on your fitness to practice law. That you have failed to maintain complete records of said funds and have failed to either return them to the client or hire the expert witnesses for which the funds were intended. The above all being in violation of Disciplinary Rules DR 9-102(B)(3)(4)7,P] DR 7-101(A)(2)8 DR 6-101(A)(8),[1009]*10099 and DR 1-102(A)(3)10 (4)(5)(6)11 of the Code of Professional Responsibility of the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Evidence submitted at the hearings established that Mr. Percy Herbert was indicted for second degree murder in March of 1980. On October 23, 1980, Mr.

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Luvertte Williams v. State of Alabama.
73 So. 3d 731 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2009)
Louisiana State Bar Ass'n v. Williams
538 So. 2d 285 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1989)

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Bluebook (online)
518 So. 2d 1005, 1988 La. LEXIS 45, 1988 WL 1924, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/louisiana-state-bar-assn-v-williams-la-1988.