Title: JAMIE L. TURNER V. KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION

State: kentucky

Issuer: Kentucky Supreme Court

Document:

Supe Cont of BARBAAN /A TL
2017 SC01 I TS er Kae

JAMIE L. TURNER MOVANT
KBA Member No. 93293

v. IN SUPREME COURT
KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION RESPONDENT
OPINION AND ORDER

Jamie L. Turner was admitted to the practice of law in October 2009:
‘Tumer’s bar roster address is 212 West Eighth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202,
and her KBA number is 93293,

Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 3.675, Turner's license to
practice law was suspended for failure to comply with continuing legal
education (CLE) requirements on January 20, 2017. Turner filed a
“Notice /Request for Appeal of Suspended License” on March 20, 2017
appealing that suspension. The Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) filed a
response requesting that this Court require Turner “to go through the
restoration process just like the other KBA former members whé were
suspended for failure to meet their... [CLE] licensure requirements.” For the

following reasons, we agree with the KBA and adopt its recommendation that
‘Turner should not be exempt from the restoration process set forth in the
‘Supreme Court Rules.
1. BACKGROUND.

‘The Director of Continuing Legal Education determined that Turner was
deficient the entire twelve credits required for educational year 2015-2016 and
0.75 ethics credits for educational year 2014-2015. Because of Turner's
deficiency, the Director sent correspondence and email notices to Turner.
Additionally, CLE department staff spoke with Turner several times when she
called secking additional time to request an extension. Despite being granted
an extension for the 2014-2015 educational year, Turner did not cure that
deficiency.

In Novernber 2016, Turner called the KBA to discuss her 2015-2016 year
deficiency and was told that she would be certified as non-compliant if she
could not show some hardship or report timely earned credits. When Turner
failed to do either, the KBA issued a show-cause notice requiring Turner to
explain her failure to comply. Turner did not respond; therefore, the KBA.
suspended Turner on Jariuary 20,2017. The notice of suspension advised
‘Turner that she could seek reinstatement pursuant to SCR 3.500 or that she
could appeal her suspension within 30 days. Turner did not timely file her
appeal but did seek an exteiision to do so, which this Court granted.

(On March 20, 2017, Turner filed the above mentioned Notice/Request for
Appeal of Suspénded License. In her Notice and an attached affidavit, Turner

states that she attended two three-day conferences in February 2015 and

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February 2016, which should have earned her 11.5 hours of CLE credit for
each year. However, for reasons Tumer cannot explain, those hours were not
reported to the KBA, Turner states that she did not realize that the hours had
not been reported until she received the notice of suspension. According to
‘Turmer, she did'not open any mail from the KBA because she believed it was
regarding her bar dues, not CLE. When she became aware of the deficiency,
‘Tumer took an online CLE course and attended a webcast, which provided a
combined 18 hours of credit.. She also stated that she was in the process of
applying for approval of the credits she earned in February 2016 and that, once
approved, she will be in compliance.
1. ANALYSIS.
SCR 3.645(1) provides that “every person licensed to practice law in this

Commonwealth . . . shall complete and certify a minimum of 12 credit hours in

 

continuing. legal education activities . .. including a minimum of 2 credit hours
devoted to ‘ethics, professional responsibility and professionalism” during
“[elach educational year.” There is no dispute that Turner failed to meet the
preceding requirements during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 educational
years. The only dispute is whether Turner should be relieved from complying
with the restoration requirements of SCR 3.500. Tuer argues that she
should be excused from compliance because she inadvertently failed to realize
she was deficient until November 2016. The KBA argues that this excuse lacks
merit because its personnel made numerous attempts to contact Turner by
‘mail and email and there were multiple telephone calls to and from Turner

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regarding her deficiencies, The KBA also notes Turner's failure to respond to

 

the show-cauuse notice, her dilatoriness in filing her appeal, and her failure to
make any attempt to comply with the restoration requirements of SCR 3.500
negate Turner's argument.

We agree with the KBA that Turner has not provided a sufficient basis to
relieve her from the suspension and the requirements of SCR 3.500. The KBA
provided more than sufficient notice to Turner of her deficiency, and she has
offered no viable excuse for ignoring that notice. Therefore, Turner's’
suspension shall remain in effect until such time as she complies with SCR
3.500.

ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED THAT:

Jamie L. Turner's Notice/Request for Appeal of Suspended License is
‘denied, and she shall remain suspended pursuant to the KBA’s January 20,
2017, Notice of Suspension until such time as she complies with the
appropriate restoration provisions of SCR 9.500.

All sitting. All concur.

ENTERED: June 15, 2017.

Wlaz

F JUSTICE