New York County Lawyers' Ass'n v. Dacey

54 Misc. 2d 564, 282 N.Y.S.2d 985, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1431
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1967
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 54 Misc. 2d 564 (New York County Lawyers' Ass'n v. Dacey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
New York County Lawyers' Ass'n v. Dacey, 54 Misc. 2d 564, 282 N.Y.S.2d 985, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1431 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1967).

Opinion

Charles Marks, J.

Petitioner has instituted this summary proceeding adjudging respondents guilty of criminal contempt of court by reason of violation of subdivision B of section 750 of the Judiciary Law in that they have unlawfully practiced and assumed to practice law and have held themselves out as authorized to do so. In addition, judgment of permanent injunction is sought restraining respondents from practicing or assuming to practice law directly or indirectly and for further injunctive relief with respect to the book authored by the respondent Dacey 1 ‘ How To Avoid Probate ’ ’, published and distributed with forms. It is alleged in the petition that Dacey has caused to be assigned to the petitioner National Estate Planning Council the copyright pertaining to the book. Agreement was reached between the petitioner and respondent Crown Publishers Inc. for publication and sale of the book together with various forms. Agreements have been reached also with the respondents Doubleday & Co. Inc. and Brentano’s Inc. and for the distribution and sale in New York of the book together with forms. Arrangements have been made pursuant to such agreements by which the parties have severally and jointly caused advertisements to be published and disseminated to members of the public in the State of New York, representing that the forms included in the book were prepared by “ one of the country’s leading professional estate planners ”, that the use thereof would enable the purchaser to avoid probate and to make gifts to minors and charities and to save taxes. It was represented also in such advertising that the materials offered for sale included 23 trust instruments and 12 will forms with understandable instructions and ready for use, the form in each instance being detachable from the book for actual use. Further, it has been represented that the forms should be prepared by a member of the public and were legally sufficient to accomplish the indicated purpose. All of these things, it is alleged, were done by the author to circumvent an injunction which had been issued by the Superior Court of Fairfield County, Conn, and affirmed by the Supreme Court of that State. The injunction prohibited Dacey from performing the acts and rendering the advice of which complaint was made to members of the public in the State of Connecticut directly. Finally, it is alleged that the respondents are engaged in the practice of law severally and jointly in that they have offered for sale and sold and distributed to the mem[566]*566bers of the public of the State of New York opinions on legal problems and instructions on the creation of inter vivos and testamentary trusts, uses and gifts of property and testamentary dispositions thereof, at the same time recommending and advising the public to use and execute specific forms prepared and designed or sold by the respondents and representing that the forms are legally sufficient and proper for the purpose of carrying out the legal advice, opinions and recommendations made by the respondents. The petition then alleges, by specific reference to subject matter and page numbers of the book, the respects in which it is claimed respondents have engaged in the practice of law. Appended to the book is an order blank for additional sets of “ instructions ” represented as being sufficient to accomplish specific purposes.

The advertising material represents that the forms were designed by “ one of the country’s leading professional estate planners ’ ’, that the use of the forms enables the purchaser to effect a transfer at death of certain properties and to make gifts to minors and charities with a saving in taxes, that included 23 trust instruments and 12 wills complete with understandable instructions ready for use and detachable from the book, and that such forms can be prepared by the purchaser and used to arrange his affairs legally and that each form is sufficient to accomplish the stated purpose and to achieve the results as represented. At page 331 of the book it is stated: “As to the forms provided in this volume there will be a certain amount of nit-picking — something was omitted here, something else might have been expressed differently there, no provision was made for this or that contingency, etc. There are few things in this world which cannot be improved upon, and no claim is made that the instruments herein provided cannot be made more nearly perfect. They are legally correct, however, and may be employed with complete assurance that they will serve the readers’ purposes well.” The author makes the selection of the appropriate form for use in each instance and directions are given to the purchaser to use “ form No. — ” and the indicated form is represented as “ suitable ” for use in the specific case as explained by demonstrated examples in each particular instance. Instructions are given for the filling in of blank space and for execution in accordance with instructions. Advertising material endows the author with consummate skill and states: “ You get detailed instruction for completing each instrument plus a picture of how it should look when you finish it. * * * this do-it-yourself kit ’ for estate administration * * * is not intended as a text book * * * As to the forms provided [567]*567in this volume * * * They are legally correct, however, and may be employed with complete assurance that they will serve the readers purposes well.”

There is no material issue of fact. What respondents have done and what they are charged with are not in material dispute apart from the legal effect thereof. This will be more particularly disclosed as to the respondent Dacey on subsequent examination of Grievance Comm, of Bar of Fairfield County v. Dacey (154 Conn. 129, 222 A. 2d 339, app. dsmd. 386 U. S. 683). The respondent Dacey urges that the respondents did not engage in the unauthorized practice of law; that section 750 of the Judiciary Law if interpreted to prevent publication of the book is unconstitutional under Federal and State Constitutions as denying freedom of speech and of press and in addition the statute is unconstitutional for vagueness. Finally, it is urged that the relief sought is unconstitutional as imposing unlawful burden upon interstate commerce by preventing respondents from engaging in lawful activity in other States. The publisher and distributing respondents urge that none has unlawfully practiced or assumed to practice law within the meaning of subdivision B of section 750 of the Judiciary Law; that they have not been willfully defiant of the dignity and authority of the court and may not be punished for a criminal contempt; that as applied to them the -statute is unconstitutionally vague; that the statute violates their constitutional right and freedom of press; that an injunction may not be granted in a proceeding based solely on subdivision B of section 750 and, finally, if the petition is not dismissed, respondents are entitled to and demand a jury trial. The New York Civil Liberties Union urges that unauthorized practice of law like libel can claim no talismanic immunity from constitutional limitations.

It is useful first to review the determinations reached in the Connecticut State action against Dacey (Grievance Comm, of Bar of Fairfield County v. Dacey, supra). That was a proceeding in equity to restrain the illegal practice of law. It may be noted at the outset that in that State Dacey confronted members of the public and, in addition, used a 30-page pamphlet which was distributed to them.

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54 Misc. 2d 564, 282 N.Y.S.2d 985, 1967 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1431, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-york-county-lawyers-assn-v-dacey-nysupct-1967.