Case Title: State v. Phelps

Citation: 226 Kan. 371, 598 P.2d 180

Docket Number: 50,834

State: kansas

Court: Kansas Supreme Court

Date: 1979-07-20T00:00:00Z

Document:
226 Kan. 371 (1979)
598 P.2d 180
STATE OF KANSAS, Petitioner,
v.
FRED W. PHELPS, SR., Respondent. Disciplinary Proceeding.
No. 50,834

Supreme Court of Kansas.
July 20, 1979.
Philip A. Harley, disciplinary counsel, argued the cause and was on the brief for the petitioner.
A.J. "Jack" Focht, of Wichita, argued the cause, and Fred W. Phelps, Jr., of Topeka, and F.G. Manzanares, of Topeka, were with him on the brief for the respondent.
Per Curiam:
On March 13, 14 and 15, 1978, a panel of the State Board of Law Examiners held a hearing on a complaint against respondent, Fred W. Phelps, Sr. It filed its report, findings and recommendations on February 12, 1979. The action is before this court pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 212 (224 Kan. lxxxvi-lxxxvii; old rule No. 213, 223 Kan. lxxxiv).
The facts out of which respondent's violations arose are as follows: On May 31, 1974, a preliminary hearing was held in Division One of the Magistrate Court of Shawnee County, Kansas, before Judge Allan A. Hazlett, wherein the State of Kansas was plaintiff and Sherman Robinson was the defendant charged with a felony and represented by R.W. Niederhauser, attorney. Carolene Brady was the court reporter who took the testimony at the hearing.
On July 15, 1974, Mr. Niederhauser attempted to call Carolene Brady to notify her he needed a transcription of the testimony at the Robinson preliminary hearing, but was informed Brady was on vacation and would not return until August 1, 1974. In the meantime, R.W. Niederhauser had employed Fred W. Phelps, Sr. to try the Robinson case.
On July 31, 1974, Carolene Brady returned from her vacation and on August 5, 1974, she was contacted by Niederhauser about transcribing the testimony from the Robinson preliminary hearing. Mrs. Brady advised Mr. Niederhauser at that time that she was working on a transcript for Russell Shultz of Wichita and she would not be able to provide the Robinson transcript by the date Niederhauser desired it, which was August 9, 1974. Brady told Niederhauser if he could obtain a continuance of the trial she would try to complete the transcript by August 13, 1974, and *372 would call him on August 12, 1974 and report. The continuance to August 13 was obtained.
On August 12, 1974, Brady tried to contact Niederhauser to report she had the testimony dictated onto tape but she couldn't find a typist. Niederhauser was not available when she telephoned so she left word for him to return her call. The call was never returned.
Later on August 12, 1974, Carolene Brady received a telephone call from a female who said she was calling from Phelps' office advising her she'd better have the Robinson transcript ready that day "or else." The person was later identified as Fred Phelps' daughter, Shirley.
Brady next called Fred Phelps, Sr. to notify him, since she couldn't find Niederhauser, that she would be unable to get the testimony typed on time. Phelps responded angrily and told her he had wanted to sue her for a long time. Thereafter, Phelps, on behalf of Robinson, filed a mandamus action in Shawnee County District Court, case No. 125695, and obtained an emergency court order for Carolene Brady to produce the transcribed testimony by 9:00 P.M. August 13, 1974, or to appear August 13, 1974, at 1:30 P.M. and show cause to the contrary. Brady found a Ms. Laird, who picked up the tapes around 4:00 P.M. August 12, 1974, and typed the transcript, taking some 6 hours to complete it. The transcription was delivered to the court at 8:30 A.M. August 13, 1974. Brady appeared at 1:30 P.M. to show cause but no action was taken. Sherman Robinson went to trial on August 14, 1974, and was acquitted.
In spite of the successful termination of the criminal action which set this sequence of events in motion, Robinson or his attorney, Phelps, continued to pursue the mandamus action and, in addition, filed a damage suit against Carolene Brady for fraud and misrepresentation, designated as case No. 125742, in the District Court of Shawnee County, Kansas. The petitioner prayed for $2,000.00 actual damages and $20,000.00 punitive damages.
Case No. 125742, the damage suit, was set for trial December 16, 1976, before a jury of six, lasting 8 days. It resulted in a verdict for Carolene Brady. Case No. 125695, the mandamus action, was tried at the same time but to the court. It also resulted in a verdict for Brady.
In both trials, Fred Phelps, Sr. represented Sherman Robinson *373 and tried the case. Fred Phelps, Jr. assisted. The case appeared to be Phelps' personal case. He called the defendant, Carolene Brady, as his witness, had her declared hostile, then proceeded to cross-examine her for 3 or 4 full days. The record discloses that his cross-examination was abusive, repetitive, irrelevant, and represented a classic case of "badgering" a witness. Then he had the temerity to complain that Brady cried in the presence of the jury. Throughout the trial, Phelps made attempt after attempt to adduce testimony concerning Carolene Brady's reputation for truth and veracity, her reputation for competency, the falsification of her income tax return and her morality, or lack thereof.
It is clear from our examination of the record and transcripts in that case that the trial was a personal vendetta by Fred Phelps, Sr. against Carolene Brady. The jury verdict didn't stop the onslaught of Phelps. He was not satisfied with the hurt, pain and damage he had visited on Carolene Brady. He filed a motion for a new trial, the controversial part of which is herewith set out in full:
"1. Erroneous rulings by the Court as follows:
The defendant, Carolene Brady, responded to Phelps' motion for a new trial by obtaining and filing affidavits from eight of the witnesses, listed by Phelps, showing they would not testify as Phelps indicated they would. The motion for a new trial was denied and the case was appealed to the Court of Appeals where the judgment of the trial court was affirmed February 17, 1978.
After Phelps had appealed Robinson v. Brady to the Court of Appeals, he filed documents to the trial court entitled, "Plaintiff's Reply Affidavits to Defendant's Post-Trial and Post-Appeal Affidavits." The content of the affidavits was so scurrilous that the Court of Appeals ordered its copies expunged as of the date of the opinion and the trial court later expunged its copies from the *375 record on November 22, 1978. In spite of the court's order of expungement, Phelps attached two of these affidavits to the reply brief filed with this court in the present case, thus successfully making them public documents. These affidavits cast reflections on Carolene Brady's character, wholly outside the issues of either the mandamus action or the fraud and misrepresentation case.
The facts of the case against Carolene Brady were brought to the attention of Arno Windscheffel, the disciplinary administrator, and a formal complaint was filed against Fred W. Phelps, Sr., on November 8, 1977. The complaint alleges the respondent made his proffers of testimony during the Robinson v. Brady trial and filed a motion for new trial asserting certain individuals would testify in a certain way as to Carolene Brady's reputation for truth and veracity, for competency and reckless conduct, attitude toward her oath and obligation and for keeping a secret. Further, the complaint noted the affidavits filed by the eight witnesses stating they would not testify as asserted in the motion for new trial. Finally, the complaint alleged Phelps had "[N]o reasonable basis for asserting that the ... named persons would testify in the manner in which he contends ... some of the named individuals had told Phelps that they would not so testify."
Respondent answered denying the allegations of the complaint that he made proffers of testimony which were not true and correct to the best of his knowledge, belief and understanding.
A pretrial conference was held February 9, 1978, where the issues were defined as follows:
1. His oath as an attorney
The disciplinary hearing before the panel was held March 13, 14 and 15, 1978, with trial briefs submitted June 1, 1978. The panel made the following findings:
A. (By Hiett) No.'
*377 `A lawyer shall not
We have said a disciplinary action is more serious than a civil action, State v. Johnson, 219 Kan. 160, 546 P.2d 1320 (1976), and charges must be established by substantial, clear, convincing and satisfactory evidence. State v. Hoover, 223 Kan. 385, 574 P.2d 1377 (1978); State v. Johnson, 219 Kan. 160. In addition, it is well *379 established the Board's findings and recommendations are advisory only and are not binding on the court. State v. Johnson; In re Phelps, 204 Kan. 16, 459 P.2d 172 (1969), cert. denied 397 U.S. 916 (1970). This court has the duty in a disciplinary action to examine the evidence and determine for ourselves the judgment to be entered. State v. Klassen, 207 Kan. 414, 485 P.2d 1295 (1971).
We have carefully and painstakingly reviewed the voluminous transcripts and exhibits and conclude there is clear and convincing evidence to support the panel's finding that the respondent violated: DR 1-102(A)(4); DR 1-102(A)(5); DR 7-102(A)(5); and K.S.A. 60-211.
In addition, a study of the transcripts, particularly that of the trial of Robinson v. Brady, convinces us that Fred W. Phelps, Sr. meant it when he told Carolene Brady he had wanted to sue her for a long time. The trial became an exhibition of a personal vendetta by Phelps against Carolene Brady. His examination was replete with repetition, badgering, innuendo, belligerence, irrelevant and immaterial matter evidencing only a desire to hurt and destroy the defendant. We note the panel's discussion of DR 7-102(A)(1) and its observation that the record and testimony show "a course of conduct by the Respondent that indicates the Respondent may have ceased to be an advocate for his client and may be embarked upon a personal vendetta against some persons and is using his position as a lawyer as a weapon." (Emphasis added.) The panel declined to make such a specific finding. We, however, are not bound by the failure to make such a finding. The formal complaint lodged against Phelps states: "That the Motion for New Trial (Attached J) clearly misrepresents the truth to the court and holds a defendant up to unnecessary public ridicule for which there is no basis in fact." We have examined the record and transcripts from Robinson v. Brady, which were made exhibits by the panel and are properly before this court as part of the record in the disciplinary case. This record unquestionably supports a finding that Phelps' action in filing the motion for new trial attempted to hold Mrs. Brady up to unnecessary public ridicule. Additionally, we find the entire record before us clearly supports a violation of DR 7-102(A)(1).
Respondent claims he was denied due process when the panel denied his motion for discovery. We find the panel's ruling *380 correct. The panel hearing is a type of discovery, with lenient rules to permit respondent to present any defense he might have to the complaint. Respondent relies upon Brotsky v. State Bar, 57 Cal. 2d 287, 368 P.2d 697, 19 Cal. Rptr. 153 (1962), to support his claim. This case, however, recognizes the existence of a California state statute allowing discovery in this type of proceeding. See Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6085 (West). Kansas law is distinguishable because we have no statutory requirements for discovery under such circumstances. Additionally, we note with approval a recent Indiana case holding denial of discovery in a disciplinary proceeding is not an unconstitutional denial of due process. Matter of Murray, 266 Ind. 221, 362 N.E.2d 128 (1977). We find the respondent had proper notice of the nature and extent of the complaint and that the hearing was fairly and properly conducted by the panel.
Respondent argues his motion for a new trial and allegations therein referring to proffered evidence are no more than a normal proffer. We do not agree. An oral proffer during the course of a trial is made for the purpose of preserving the record. K.S.A. 60-243(c). The reference to witnesses and their testimony in a motion for a new trial is an attorney's representation to the court that a new trial should be granted because of the quality of proof available. The motion is prepared in the attorney's office and should be carefully and studiously drafted. It is an attorney's representation to the court and is contemplated by K.S.A. 60-211.
The final determination for the court is the proper discipline for respondent's violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility. In this regard, we note it is proper to consider an attorney's previous record concerning professional conduct. State ex rel. Okl. Bar Ass'n v. Hensley, 560 P.2d 567 (Okla. 1977). See also Selznick v. State Bar, 16 Cal. 3d 704, 547 P.2d 1388, 129 Cal. Rptr. 108 (1976). Phelps was suspended from practicing law for a period of two years for unprofessional conduct in 1969. In re Phelps, 204 Kan. 16. The seriousness of the present case coupled with his previous record leads this court to the conclusion that respondent has little regard for the ethics of his profession. In his attorney's oath, Fred W. Phelps, Sr. swore as follows:
He has disregarded that oath, and violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and K.S.A. 60-211. The practice of law is a privilege rather than a right and by his conduct, respondent has forfeited his privilege. We find he should be disciplined by disbarment and assessed the costs of this action.
BY ORDER OF THE COURT, dated this 20th day of July, 1979.