Title: NANCY OLIVER ROBERTS V. KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION

State: kentucky

Issuer: Kentucky Supreme Court

Document:

·TO BE;'P.UBLISHED J~pmt' aluud Jlf ~i .2017-"SC-0003:88~.KB ·.···: NANCY OLIVJDR ROBERTS :MOVA.NT KENTUCKY.BARASS'dClATlON Nancy Olivftr:.Ro.berts>f'or reinstatement t(f th¢ pta~tj¢~ of lt:tw'.follPW:irig):t discipiinary. suspe~sion.of .~!'days, im.?Q$ed. bY:t!li$ .C(.)'Ptt in. I(8A ¥!; :Rri~~~ 431s.W.3.d40;() {Ky._2'0:14). ,No .ob.j~.Ction h~~J>.ee,n.maa~to berrrelnstafement;', however, the· Keri.tuok,yBar ,Association (KBA}:,Office of;Bar'CQUn~l (~ .. Counsel)~ obj~cts·io:::~:.~ Sq,~.~f'·(i.Qveqw.~~~,fijj;¢ 13&~1 te¢omm¢n4~9n tha:t:.Robert;$ b~,·~<;.µ~~d fro$ P.a.Yingrtfi~ ¢.E}$:t$:J.ri(;Uried 'J:>.y~tn.e.::1abtfor;the r:ein$~teJ:PeP.1:.P.ftC>.ceedin~~~ :Sfir C.owis.eLc.Iarma:'tbat:thtLB'oar.d1 s recommendation with .respect to .the waiver. of:oosts -e~c~edS it$ a.Uth9dty under "the K~l~ i~~~r~~~wt~m~~=:!!e~~~:~~~co:f:!~J:;.~~J~~~s pµt one arm, of the Ke~tU,pky Bar Associati,9-il; · the relev~nt::$.µp.r.e,ro~ ~9µtJ;'&4.l~~.J~nd th~tits .rea.:son.10.t-·the r.eoomm:end.~ti~n· i$.¢.t>ntr-~cy•to .. :the-Supr.eme Court· .Rules.and existlng:e~~e:·~\y·• iror~the·reasons ~~aine.~ ~eloW.1: w~:'.accept:Ute B:o$:rd>S: r.~o.mmendatian for Robert$' .rem~taten,iert.t t6 tt?°eci>J:actice,_.of.Jawt.·fucludlng·its recommen4Qtf;r;i.- · . ·. . ·. . ~. l. PAOTO'At.Hn·.PROOEDURAL.:~Q-OQP.:· Roberts· was admitted. to pt~tj.ce'¥:tw in ·-ic.~;rt~~~ in I\J~v~tn:b.er 1988~ .Her·disciplm~ te'¢f>:r4 ln¢1'4.C;les a private ad.monition m 19:~ .. fornothavfng;a.· -wrltt¢n oqn.tm~et:icy.f~ ~$fef;m~nt and·a:·ptivate a4mcnµ~~tiJn·;2Q91 ·fQf'· .. ~n~giil~: in ex .. parte~·ct'Jtnmµ;pi>¢~9.qp;~ w,itbe.!~j~qg¢~ .. :Qp J.:)~®.m~r l~~ >2.o:og~ ·0pposi~g:.cou,q~~i i~ ~.:PiiPb.~fe.:~~~ !i1ecta .. '.har,eo~plairit::ag~inst/,20nerts:,, $ff.~ ~~ .Jqle. 1:ae:aQ.. For-:r.e,as.Qns·notpertlhenthere, thet~>·~$';~.t\Y.1il$·p~~& m,. ab~yance::and--.nC>.fotmal charg~:.wa.$ evet'~l)O.d. hY.:tlieJn~ilify Com.mission . . This 2o09 cq~~I~fntr. h¢Iq Jn ,a;~eyar;ipe.> .Wo.ajd. later.cause:·'a.substantial d~laf i11.R~ib.C.li$' ¢lll.TentJi~ffo.rt to be:reinstatedr-and: that delay.. 1s·-~:·¢rodi.~iA~~.tot tnQ.tiv.atln;g the·Board?.s reoommen·datl~Jil .:t.P -~~rppt;, ~QQ~~~ ft'Qtq -P.~Yi.b.$.,'the, costs reiated.·w ·li¢t ~eµi~t,t;\t~¢.liit~ Jn 2.Q.l.~; .. w~ffij>tjpd;R~~rt$ :guilty pn. +.wo . disciplinacy chaj'.ge:S. ("~BA. File 1741 lJ ·for which'we .ordered ;her·t0=:serve·'8.: <$.1:"" day ·sus·pension from the praetice ofltiw. Robe~1 4~·i ~·W.:~:3,a ~oo:~ · F.ollow.i~ her suspen$fo.i:t~Ro.ber:ts ttnde.rt~ka1Lap~~P.fiate.·'$teps•:and paid: the .as$(!~~q KB.A eo~~~,.-~Y.et'e~ tj).¢' b:t>Jsmes~r;s~:,outside her offieel riQ:t.ifi.eg the· il¢C¢$s~ CQ:u:its and:clieirts.-.6f.;ber::su$p.~~n,. ~i;{:o.;b~n¢d. .tlie! .. :appropriate CLE f'tling,cer:tificatioD: for':her reinstatern~~~·· By r;>~o:t*-'P•;pf t.~~ . •. . re,fovMt.§~pt~Pi¢ Gow.t:·We$~ -~qbe!~ w:~s-:¢»:'.tiUed.Jo.~utoma.clc rein~tatement of the· privile~e,ofpractlcin.&·iaw··on··May· a·q;j~tH4,~;·uni~s':!]Ba:r _counsel iliterpo$ed, i;tnt)l?j~9tio~ .ro t;¢in~~t~e~~~ is.-~e .. 'SGR::S.~'.SlP:(~":· ;on April 3:0;~ 2PX4~ · Rt>.bert$-.sl.lbmitted to the:J~lBA-::an .Amctav1f'f0r ReiP:'.$tatem.ent ·ancl Oomplianee.pittsuant t6 SCR::S':-5t~t~J. Tlle;'·~t1,;¢.¢:·:Q.(~~:t counsel tiled. an ::l;)bje¢ti~~ ~o.:Rp~e~~·(r~J'n~tat~tl~.P;~ Qli:. MEW '!'9., ~OJ.4·~, $CR 1 6-5~1:0(2)t~quite$ that-5.ar:~counsel, wb~n.ob$.c~g to reinstatement~ m~t- d~ail /'~ch inftio:nation.:as.may:exist'to:tn(iiC~tUitl¢~:~¢. .. n,uaj.it1~tiPP..$ 'p.tci~tJy 'J(),·~$.eW.ed~b~ :Ptitblfo: .. a$ an aohiiv.e: p.r:a~nttoner' o.r:i.ls,,no.f:of good.,mor.al i ·characterl' .As.J1ro11n:ds for its·.:ofi>jectloni~=··tg:a;;r ¢0\trt~~;:Stg~~: ~~1>~~9.¢1l't:~ the subj¢ct'.ofpep.~~·'.C:ij~#P,f)Jte·~ Tbetefot¢;~.!@' K~P,~l,fy 5.er.-A$.:SQ~~ti.Qp abjects. to. any automatic·reinstatement,•of.: the R:espc>nden~ as.she does net at. • ,< • th.is· titne.possess s'Ufifuient:llrofesSion~.capabifities ~n(i;'.q9al.11)e~9f.i~J9·· •: " · · l · ·" · .· d' · ·~ .·· ·· tt' · ··:" · .... ,.. ...,0"9 · · 'l' =· ·t··· 'V'-tl>'.':Jt ·nc1 t0·~si:::·' '~·.,... h ·l . .A ... •· '()fi.Y' .P.eyt: .m5 ro~.:. er W;!,~ ~·"~·4·'. M . . '.~,Q-~pt~ .. ~?:AP1:>..~:·,i.J,~· .. 9.~ v.i;.=~~ •.. 'e,itJ;.;Ul::' abeyal)..C:e ... Q'h;=April.11!.J~0.141 .. three.weeks,in\fol~.~; serviee;.ef"fue 6•:;f~-d~y: ··suspension;; Bat :Counsei movec{ td t¢Stui'ie i:{ijtion=J>P. K:a~ .fil~ 1-$~6. ?be. Jn.qµJtjr:g9m~~1d:rj: JO:tm~t ~~'#tP.~d' Fll~'.:1~s~· ffQrti ~l)e~anoo1bert& ttle(f.~ nµnibet·.of pleading$ $,eekitit..,to ~low tae rein$:tatemeht '.~9¢e~s to P.rocee,Q.,.q¢spit.~·'th¢ ~$Urtecti<)~:ofthe:.2.0Q9 cemplai.n:t !\fev:erlkelesst::the= j mat~e:r t~w~iti;~~ .. up~~Jy¢.q, ~ .. ~lil.tM:'.t&::~nd, ROberts· rlled.her·appllcatlon.it>rif~rmal. reinstatem . · -t in September· 2014. As·:·'r ·· ·uited.:'k.r"'·ur .ttlle:s :b~t'ap"··~lif¢4tin .. . .. ....... ~. . · eq:, ..... HY CJ, ...... '·" .... , ...... P.fJ; .... ,., " · ·"Yas referred.fG>.t·t.~iff1!V 1;lY the·~actet.at\d.'Fitri~~·'Conuriitte:e~ · Op P.~cem'be.r 2$,)~0.14~.'the .. Inqttiry 'Ootmriission issued another ·'"' . . . . ®.triP.l~nt ~ainst Robert$,,. .. KBA;Fi1e. ~323$.~ .. T:he µ,p,d~lnni~g fQr· tbi$ complaintr-wasAhi1tt ~t:)~t§:.'b~)~~!J!~¢tr:;:~P.tl'.leJ~''~~~ te. ~S.":etnltt; . :p,rq~'e¢.ttin:g~l · ~µgge~Una that.:·~oberts was.: engaged .tn.::the unau~i~~ p,taetf~ of':law·du~:·this.:exfensic:m ofher:·~~P(1l~~oni'. ~~~ft~ .. ·c.tml.¢.d ~·t:::~ti'b.ild., eng.ag:ed =iri th¢ . .Ptiitctf.~¢.. otI~\V,.;P6in.".:ti9tf6u~:~«t:·$he ~tt~.ndh'd.:qou:r±.. ptei~ltigs .~.s anon·aftom~y.':$Pc;iaLSecurli& Admin1stratfon ·tep,r.eg¢ttt~tj:Y,~~ on· Septmnber"..f6:~ 2'015~ ·the:lnqutr.y <.1o~~$i~ii.:·4*-&.m.~~~¢.4. ~: .. ®mPJ~t ~4: -OIsed'.Jo3A .. File 2:~2~s:·Witho.mJ:heimPS.i~fi.itr~·di&~FUrie :againstJwbeits. Q11 ·~@re.mP.e.r ~'5, ~()];~/th¢:.~:QJl.9J..,,~·:c:onn:H~mkused to. 'bar Rober.ts·;; aii.t9m~tic reinstatement fo the .. praritice:·oftaw~:-a.nd. ~~~)¥: $~,y:e,~~t~~r:~"'. File; f~36-tuing,' was .re·so1V¢d, Wj~ Efpt:ht~t~ ~~~tii.Utj~:;'fQ~:,a viQiatjqi.l; ·()f;:sc;R 3.130(:1.:ll::(~P.:.'f).~omey ~p~ll,Pt.e;t~·'~uest.~.,lhe··,Character'and.,~itnes&·-~t~ n~Q/~ h~_Eµin~ Qrt her APiJlication fur Reins~t~µl.¢ti:t ·i~ 4@:14~)¥ 2Ql7•. ''tth'.¢:., . . ·Committee·:CO'Ileluded ~:.R,-rit>¢r.t§ tta;4·:.~et.~ill ,h®esswy=~rereq:ulsli.:es a:ad qualificatjatlS:for'te!il:l$tatement;ane::hi~WY:~n~~s~~t,J3~ ~:unsel-relies·.:upon:~c:R ~·-:$'.i:.f£fi:):·whtep;:~t~~, m; ~pertinent parb The):i>.itectot· .~h,a!tP:9~ a;~¢ept~P. appli,qafilau fot ·tiltn:g unlesS:,alt. E~~;!i~;;e~~=· . . pr . ~~4:wal ...... &.... . .~.m ... J.tb .. A. $Q~tioo or: ef the Character ancf"Flmess··ffommitte-e ot·oft.he Jtfnt.tt~l&-!"Ot'ilee ~~~-~=~~~e\:~ (;Emp!1tJ.sis -~ct~¢d.) J~i~b.efts, paiQ. .. hutdV.aace, tb.eJ·ees=.req~d ~o ~~tj.~~tlie;t;e~pplie~Qrt :process an(Lshe p~t,~4 ·~~ ~9~~~-~~qpjt,¢.~·~t~::~f"additicm:al~costs?~: tO. $,2'500.()Q,. ... 1j;t¢.'.:g~y, ¢.~~ -~~ =:~t.~¢ ~~-:are·,~~J~tlpaid costs or&n$ily.:t~k¢:r;i:· it.om. the b9~d ai::uf.··tne.additi0natc0sts·not -co'V~·- J:>Y>thtf'f.>-9~~,/ :Bar· Cbutt$elat;g:ues th~t µo~~V.g ·~~_tb.;¢~~CI ~.:s:l.,o:p;J~:itni.il.¢,~·-that.tihe payment of costs l$::,di.$cretio~-. -In:~ect,.Jaar Qoun.sef: ~es,that the Pht~-S¢~ '·"c()~t$WU1 b,e;.:~~ by;f\l?,plie:an.t/' is a commatidi:from'w"}aj.~~ tf.d~ Qt>~rl 4~$,:l~(t,.tt~elf'.,~o-dlsctetion':fu,deVi'at~ evei:i wh~ ~$··tm.t:i.Jtl-~tie.¢= 4¢m:and. otherw1se;. W'e:=disagroo. 'we:~l'it~tPt~:t~ a1J~i:ti~·::CQµi.t1;RU:tes. in accordance· ·witli ·~~~if .·ptaj,rt. ·Jatjgti~e .. :$.tlll!JeP~Jl• Oommaid by- 0 A:pp?licant1.~ . '· ·. ~. ~ . . .. The·wor/~l· ·fli·'l1··y,,~ . ..,..,.,,"'_.;;,:t::u',.,,.,;,,.i]":··1· ·;;'CO"" ""'·~"A4-.i:..s• ·ti.·e· .. ,....,.,.,.'*'"'°"""'·£l:MJ:' aprooess~.·,an(Lthe,appiicantsh®I:C: ,~t:~t th~ satrre; The~tµl~ ~()'¢.$:.#,pt.;gtjg~~~t~¢, :~~iQi,li~ mta;t¢.ft~t.att¢*-~~Wij;l'·Q~ro;p¢1:. ~· deviatiO}l ,fro.nr th.at.~~~c.t~tw.n, ;a.nd.:sQ.we.:eonfirrn;:nov1rthat t.hi'&·C0.u:rt: retains"the.:diScretion:,to:,~eparld'rom theYcust~·ditecti\re;:!ot':alloca~: c-Osts when f~eS$ and Jl;1$tice so:.f.¢q~~~·• B r,.... "l ·~t · ..... ,. t . ·a· .f:h .... +·+=t;;:· B" ~"~t d . ts .. "d· .· jih · -'1:1·1~­ •.•.. €}.t *-9.µn..~ .~~.,cq.n ~rt .. $ .. · "~,..i;µ;.r:e; · -~ ... · .. ~~d~. QU ... ~.·. ~·'"· e $PO.p..e.;·w:: ·u;::;; authc:?rl't,y" Jn .. v.iolatien=.of $QR,3~$t0,~3) whea.lt:reqpestecfR.-Oilferlfs1· exemptl.oo . from costs. sc:R:~at5':f0.{'3) iproVides{int~ie~tWt:t.~}'~~f·Q~~:$h~t .~¢w. '2.'1#.:c9~,ffi9~ .. Qt·' C:l~µm.ajj;pf,\t~f¢¢¢!,. ,aj).C;t.~•ib ~~.:~j~U,i~ti,~~::tP,~ .~¢:r,m.: '$hajj'. j~ ·awpr:d:. 9f p()n;unap;Q."an't'l ....... 1P:U$fJ~e ~:ven a ooxn.putsoey::mearungl' .,BJ.aek.'s taw.;oict1ottary i:2a3 (Sthed. f979.}.; ~shaifni~s'·$h1:uh"' 'va~qlbv. · ... · . -~~6~~~~.~&:i~~(~~:~ir, ~QQa);~.fl..@Q,rlJ.::~1;~ .. p • .Jmi~~;.·:a~s: a:>nt;tp~/l~~~~r#~'"W~b~ter;com/d.ictiOnary/wUl~. t .the:·.rtecorct; ;repo(.t. art4. l)riefs:~h.4.f:¢¢Pitlm~ .. ;apP.r9v~:p;r';al$app.tQv.al .Pf the ·;a;ppl~tif;li:L(w'.·t:' We·do :not ;agree'.:wftfi: a~·9~~~lt$. iP.;t.fi~t:~~tit:m 4ftb¢,:®.took .f'ar ±.oo I. 1~0t addt¢~ .M.rein~. JI~~· J:m~~StTI.'.QN ·w~· a.gre,e wi.m:.and .. a.~cordlqg}y.,a.cce,p~· tne~Bt>ard.:ottlovemor.s~ .:recQmmendatlor.r:th.at·)~:anoy- Olfu.er.fioberts~'.~P,pli<:a;tjo.J.1: 'fo.r ~~P.~.~t¢rp.ent 'f.Q · the p:ta'ctice:··or:Ia.w:b .· · 0·· ··. 1<···.· · tL. " .. :.:.~.·· ·.·.·.·e .t ... o ... ~.'I-.··- ••. a. . ..n. ... :· ........... :u. a ... ~ ..• :~-. ·g 1-.·"·t-ru'ms4""' .... ·ces: ._ .. ..,.;···'""'., .. ,.~~PP .. 9'1'.e,... ~·!->11 wu:r ~«>"""'.., :t~d ~b(),v,¢,,."7e, find'.it appropriate ;~:the·':ex«¢~$e~aj'.'l®t ~~~\'.;fr~tjQ~ftp ·$t~t. ·the .B:Qa.r:~#~~.::fP.t' ~~nsta:tero.ent soon. be;:refund.ed: .. in·'fiilt.upq~.:f#~ :tti.t~fw:.qi·~J$:::.Qt4;~tj Outiningh:am, Ft'Ugb,~~,~.Kell¢'r,, N~M.etet~ \tent~, .. and Witl1ht~ J.J.~, · -concur~ Mi11tP..ti~ Q~;.H~ (i($i~t~! '~1\'T'l'~D;~o· :·• i'l\t'ri~~efilbe. ~ 2·: ::20i1-" ·. :.~~~.1··~~~-· .·•.~ ·.~lY:~v~ ... , ......... ·'°'·:. .. ..:~::-- . . '°'"· .. ·. , ;;P,-<f ~,'-' tiJ!ffel4.?k/r~··· : .. '.·t· .. ·•.·.·.·:cHIEFJW~~:•.· ... :. , :