Case Title: In Re Black

Citation: 247 Kan. 664, 801 P.2d 1319

Docket Number: 65,120

State: kansas

Court: Kansas Supreme Court

Date: 1990-12-07T00:00:00Z

Document:
247 Kan. 664 (1990)
801 P.2d 1319
In the Matter of CARL S. BLACK, Respondent.
No. 65,120

Supreme Court of Kansas.
Opinion filed December 7, 1990.
Stanton A. Hazlett, deputy disciplinary administrator, argued the cause, and Bruce E. Miller, disciplinary administrator, was with him on the formal complaint for the petitioner.
Carl S. Black appeared pro se.
Per Curiam:
This is an original proceeding in discipline filed by the disciplinary administrator against Carl S. Black, of Shawnee Mission, an attorney admitted to the practice of law in Kansas.
A formal hearing before the panel of the Board for Discipline of Attorneys was held on May 16, 1989, in the Harold R. Fatzer Courtroom of the Kansas Judicial Center, Topeka. Respondent appeared in person and proceeded pro se.
Each of the two counts arose from respondent's handling of bankruptcy matters. No exceptions have been filed to the panel's findings of fact or conclusions. The panel's findings of fact (with reference to exhibits deleted) are as follows:
COUNT I
*666 COUNT II
The Board panel made conclusions and recommendations as follows:
"Conclusions
The panel recommended that respondent receive an informal admonition from the disciplinary administrator and be placed on probation for a period of one year subject to certain conditions.
We find there is clear and convincing evidence establishing the violations found and enumerated by the panel as to each of the two counts.
We are very concerned with respondent's conduct with his clients and towards Judge Pusateri. Respondent's conduct herein is not a brief lapse of professional responsibility. For over a year he ignored court rules and orders and compelled Judge Pusateri, ultimately, to bar him from practicing law in his court.
The panel accepted Mr. Black's testimony that he is receiving therapy for his psychiatric problems and is seeking to alleviate his family, financial, and office management problems. We certainly hope he can get his life in order. Unfortunately, there is nothing before us to indicate what progress, if any, he has made in resolving his many problems. Only the passage of time will reveal how sincere respondent's efforts for improvement are and how successful the result will be.
IT IS THE ORDER OF THE COURT that the imposition of discipline against Mr. Black be and is hereby suspended for one year or further order of the court (whichever occurs first), and he is placed on probation in the interim period subject to the following conditions:
1. That respondent continue with his present psychotherapy program. Any change therein to be subject to the approval of the disciplinary administrator.
2. That respondent cooperate fully with the disciplinary administrator in all respects including, but not limited to, the setting up of a procedure with respondent's therapist whereby the disciplinary administrator can monitor whether or not respondent is actively following through on the treatment program.
*669 3. That respondent pay the sanctions imposed upon him by Judge Pusateri.
4. That there be no further violations of the Disciplinary Rules, the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, or any law by the respondent during this period of probation.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, in the event respondent fails to abide by the conditions set out herein, a show cause order may issue to the respondent and this court shall take whatever disciplinary action it deems just and proper without further formal proceedings.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this order be published in the Kansas Reports, and that respondent pay the costs of these proceedings.