Case Title: In re Morrissette

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1993-11-16T00:00:00Z

Document:
In re Morrissette  ENTRY_ORDER.93-401; 161 Vt. 576; 636 A.2d 329 [Filed 16-Nov-1993] ENTRY ORDER SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 93-401 OCTOBER TERM, 1993 In re Peter J. Morrissette, Esq. } Original Jurisdiction } } } Professional Conduct Board } } } Docket No. 92-48 In the above entitled cause the Clerk will enter: Pursuant to the recommendation of the Professional Conduct Board filed October 8, 1993, and approval thereof, it is hereby ordered that Peter J. Morrissette, Esq., be publicly reprimanded for the reasons set forth in the Board's Notice of Decision attached hereto for publication as part of the order of this Court. A.O. 9, Rule 8E. Allen, C.J., dissenting. I am unable to concur in the recommended sanction in this matter. The Board included as a mitigating factor the absence of selfish or dishonest motive. The findings, however, are totally devoid of any suggestion as to what the respondent's motives were. The alteration to the release of the right to first refusal and the material change to the covenants in the deed from the Damazos to the Cronins was, as the Board concluded, serious misconduct. I am at a loss as to how this conduct can then be characterized as negligence or be considered as a lack of diligence, thoroughness or caution. At the very least the matter should be remanded to ascertain the reasons for the alterations. Until this is known, it is impossible to impose an appropriate sanction. BY THE COURT: Dissenting: _______________________________________ Ernest W. Gibson III, Associate Justice ________________________________ _______________________________________ Frederic W. Allen, Chief Justice John A. Dooley, Associate Justice _______________________________________ James L. Morse, Associate Justice _______________________________________ [x] Publish Denise R. Johnson, Associate Justice [ ] Do Not Publish