Title: IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF TINCH

State: oklahoma

Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF TINCH  IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF TINCH 2011 OK 43 Case Number: SCBD-5710 Decided: 05/16/2011 THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA FOR PUBLICATION IN OBJ ONLY. NOT RELEASED FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF PATRICIA PHILLIPS TINCH, n/k/a PATRICIA S. PHILLIPS, Petitioner. ORDER ¶1 Petitioner, Patricia S. Phillips, was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association on October 14, 1982, after graduation from Oklahoma City University School of Law and upon successful completion of the Oklahoma Bar Examination. ¶2 Petitioner resided and practiced law in Oklahoma from October 14, 1982 until May 31, 1987, when Petitioner moved to the State of Illinois. On November 5, 1987, Petitioner successfully completed the Illinois State Bar Examination and became a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. Applicant is a member in good standing with the Illinois State Bar Association. ¶3 Petitioner has continuously practiced law only in the State of Illinois since November 5, 1987, and has worked only with the Illinois Attorney General since 2003. She voluntarily resigned from the Oklahoma Bar Association in 2003. ¶4 Prompted by her desire to return to Oklahoma as a full-time resident, Petitioner filed a Petition for Reinstatement on December 14, 2010. ¶5 Upon consideration of the matter, we find the record shows by clear and convincing evidence the following: 1. Petitioner has not been disbarred from the Oklahoma Bar Association or any other state or federal bar and has not resigned pending disciplinary proceedings from the Oklahoma Bar Association or any other state or federal bar, when application was made for reinstatement. 2. Pursuant to Rule 11.1(a), Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings, 5 O.S. 2001 ch. 1, app. 1-A, Petitioner submitted an affidavit from the Court Clerk for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, stating that she did not practice in Oklahoma, specifically Oklahoma County, from and after January, 1988 to present. She further attests that her only place of residence since her resignation in 2003 is Springfield, Illinois. 3. A hearing was conducted before the Professional Responsibility Tribunal on March 8, 2011. Four witnesses presented themselves on behalf of Petitioner and testified as to her good moral character and her competency in the law. 4. Petitioner stated that she has read, for the past year or more, the online Bar subscription and completed a six unit (five hours) course in Recent Developments in Oklahoma Law - 2010. 5. The Trial Panel filed its report on March 31, 2011, and determined that Petitioner has fully met all the requirements under the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings for reinstatement to the Oklahoma Bar Association. 6. The Oklahoma Bar Association filed an Application to Assess Costs in the amount of $640.00. Petitioner filed a response to the application and prays for costs in the amount of $335.00 based on original representations by the Oklahoma Bar Association that costs in an uncontested reinstatement rarely run over $200.00. The Bar Association attempted to assess costs against Petitioner for an original and two copies of the transcript rather than the statutory requirement of one original and one certified copy. Petitioner's calculations of actual costs incurred in this matter are reasonable. Based on the facts of this particular case, Petitioner is ordered to pay the costs of this proceeding in the amount of $335.00 within thirty (30) days of the date of this order. All remaining costs are assessed against the Respondent, Oklahoma Bar Association. 7. Concerning Petitioner's competency in the law, the Oklahoma Bar Association's argument that Petitioner should be required to take the Oklahoma Bar examination was unconvincing and overreaching. Petitioner has taken and successfully passed the bar examinations for Oklahoma and Illinois. Petitioner has proven by clear and convincing evidence that she possesses the competency and learning in the law required for admission to practice law in the State of Oklahoma. Rule 11.5(c). 8. Petitioner's Petition for Reinstatement to the Oklahoma Bar Association should be approved. No grounds exist for requiring Petitioner to take the Oklahoma Bar examination. Costs of the proceeding should be reduced to $335.00 ¶6 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Petitioner, Patricia S. Phillips, is reinstated to membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association and that her name be reinstated to the Roll of Attorneys licensed to practice law in the State of Oklahoma; Petitioner is not required to retake the Oklahoma Bar examination; and, Petitioner shall pay costs in the amount of $335.00 within thirty (30) days of the date of this order. All remaining costs are assessed against the Respondent, Oklahoma Bar Association. ¶7 IT IS ALSO ORDERED that Petitioner is responsible for paying membership dues to the Oklahoma Bar Association for the current year. DONE BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT IN CONFERENCE THIS 16TH DAY OF MAY, 2011. /S/CHIEF JUSTICE ALL JUSTICES CONCUR