Case Title: In Re Talbot

Citation: 474 P.2d 88, 78 Wash. 2d 295

Docket Number: 

State: washington

Court: Washington Supreme Court

Date: 1970-09-03T00:00:00Z

Document:
78 Wn.2d 295 (1970) 474 P.2d 88 In the Matter of the Disciplinary Proceeding Against CHAS. H.W. TALBOT, an Attorney at Law.[*] No. C.D. 4553. The Supreme Court of Washington, En Banc. September 3, 1970. Jack P. Scholfield, for Board of Governors. Chas. H.W. Talbot, pro se. HALE, J. The Washington State Bar Association brings this disciplinary proceeding against attorney Chas. H.W. Talbot. A hearing panel consisting of attorneys Thomas G. McCrea, as Chairman, and Raymond W. Haman and Howard P. Pruzan, entered findings and conclusions and recommended to the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association that respondent be suspended from the practice of law for 30 days on item 1, 30 days on item 2 of the complaint, the two suspensions to run concurrently, and that a formal reprimand be delivered on item 3. The Board of Governors concurred in the findings, conclusions and recommendation. This court agrees. Our review of the record shows that the statement of the case as contained in the bar association's brief is supported by the evidence and aptly summarizes the facts. We adopt it and set it forth verbatim, as follows: We add that the record does not show that Mr. Talbot ever received any part of the funds released when the garnishment was lifted. Presumably the entire amount was drawn down by his client. [1] Canon of Professional Ethics 21, RCW vol. 0, requires that an attorney be punctual in attendance and concise and direct in the trial and disposition of causes. This means that he should exercise reasonable diligence and industry in tending to the affairs entrusted to him by his client. As a result of Mr. Talbot's procrastination, delay and lack of diligence, his client, Mr. Dennis, is confronted with serious and unwarranted problems. Regardless of the effect or operation of the statute of limitations on the client's personal injury claim and whatever the outcome, Mr. Talbot's procrastination added to his burdens; as a client, he had a right to expect more of his attorney. Serious and unwarranted procrastination, delay and want of diligence in taking care of legal business is properly a subject of disciplinary action under Discipline Rules for Attorneys 1.1(j). In re Hutchins, 67 Wn.2d 144, 406 P.2d 777 (1965); In re Holtz, 64 Wn.2d 424, 392 P.2d 242 (1964). The 30 days' suspension recommended on item 1 we deem appropriate. The record supports the hearing panel's findings under item 2 that Mr. Talbot failed to live up to an agreement made with a fellow lawyer. His actions not only reflected badly on the profession as a whole but inevitably placed a fellow lawyer in a bad light with his client. It was not only a courtesy between counsel, but a time and labor-saving device to Mr. Talbot's client when Mr. Merges, representing *299 a judgment creditor, agreed that a writ of garnishment sequestering the wages of Mr. Talbot's client be dismissed and the money released on condition that the money would be paid over to Mr. Merges. Acting on this agreement, Mr. Merges submitted to the court a motion and order dismissing the garnishment. Despite frequent demands upon Mr. Talbot, the money never was delivered to Mr. Merges. Canon of Professional Ethics 25, RCW vol. 0, declares: Canon of Professional Ethics 29, RCW vol. 0, provides, in part: [2] Failure to abide by an agreement with a fellow lawyer, particularly when the breach redounded to the presumable benefit of the one attorney and the detriment of the other in their relationships with their clients, violated both CPE 25 and 29. Thirty days' suspension to run concurrently with the suspension imposed under item 1 we think appropriate. As to item 3, the disciplinary rules require that the attorney against whom a complaint has been made and who is being investigated by the local administrative committee shall cooperate with the committee, furnish requested papers and documents, make explanations when asked to do so and appear before the committee at the time and place designated. DRA 2.6. [3] When asked by Mr. Ferrer, then investigating the two complaints for the local administrative committee, to explain the garnishment transaction and the arrangement with Mr. Merges, Mr. Talbot at first could not recall the *300 matter but promised to look into it and call Mr. Ferrer. He failed to call, and failed on three occasions to respond to Mr. Ferrer's letters requesting a conference. When a conference was scheduled between them, Mr. Talbot failed to appear, and when rescheduled for a month later, Mr. Talbot failed to appear again. His failure to cooperate placed him in violation of DRA 2.6 and merits a formal reprimand. Accordingly, respondent attorney is suspended from the practice of the law and as a member of the bar of this court for a period of 30 days each on items 1 and 2, the suspensions to run concurrently and shall be formally reprimanded on item 3, and shall pay the costs in the amount of $474.42 as taxed in the association's statement of costs. HUNTER, C.J., FINLEY and NEILL, JJ., and HILL, J. Pro Tem., concur. HAMILTON, J. (concurring) I concur in the suspension but not the length thereof. This matter and In re Yates, 78 Wn.2d 243, 473 P.2d 402 (1970), were argued before this court on the same day. Inexcusable delay and procrastination constituted the underlying basis of the disciplinary proceedings in each matter. Although each proceeding deserves to be judged upon its own circumstances, and total consistency may be "the hobgoblin of little minds"; nevertheless, it is my view that some measure of consistency in the imposition of suspensions from the practice of law is desirable where the tap root of the cause is virtually identical. Because of this and because of the fact that the acropetal offshoots from the delay and procrastination, i.e., undue problems for the clients and embarrassment to the profession, were similar in both cases, I would impose the same suspension in each case 45 days. ROSELLINI and SHARP, JJ., and DONWORTH, J. Pro Tem., concur with HAMILTON, J. [*] Reported in 474 P.2d 88.