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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

State of Nebraska ex rel. Counsel for Discipline

of the Nebraska Supreme Court, relator, 

v. Dwaine L. Birch, respondent.

___ N.W.2d ___

Filed April 23, 2021. No. S-20-891.

Original action. Judgment of suspension.

Heavican, C.J., Miller-Lerman, Cassel, Stacy, Funke, 

Papik, and Freudenberg, JJ.

Per Curiam.

INTRODUCTION

On December 16, 2020, formal charges containing seven 

counts were filed by the office of the Counsel for Discipline of 

the Nebraska Supreme Court, the relator, against the respond

ent, Dwaine L. Birch. The respondent filed an answer to the 

charges on February 12, 2021. The respondent admits the 

facts in the formal charges. On February 22, the relator filed 

a response to the respondent’s answer, stating that “[a] 45-day 

suspension followed by a 2-year term of monitored probation 

. . . would be appropriate and consistent.” The respondent 

stated that he is willing to accept the suggested discipline recommended by the relator. Pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. § 3-310(I) 

(rev. 2019), which permits the court to dispose of the matter 

on its own motion where no issue of fact or law is raised, we 

impose a suspension for a period of 45 days, followed by 2 

years of monitored probation.

Nebraska Supreme Court Online Library

www.nebraska.gov/apps-courts-epub/

07/02/2021 08:11 AM CDT
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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

FACTS

The respondent was admitted to the practice of law in the 

State of Nebraska on April 26, 1993. At all times relevant to 

these proceedings, he has practiced law as a solo practitioner 

in Burwell, Nebraska.

The misconduct set forth in the seven counts of the formal charges began in December 2015 and continued through 

April 2020. Each count arises from the respondent’s neglect 

of estate proceedings: six in Garfield County, Nebraska, and 

one in Loup County, Nebraska. The respondent opened the 

respective estates, but then failed to move the cases forward 

despite repeated notices from the court and clerk magistrate. 

Further, the respondent continued to neglect the cases after 

the relator informed the respondent that the investigations into 

the neglect had been upgraded to formal grievances due to 

the respondent’s failure to move the estates forward. In each 

count, the respondent is charged with violating Neb. Ct. R. of 

Prof. Cond. §§ 3-501.1 (rev. 2017) (competence), 3.501.3 (diligence), and 3-508.4(a) and (d) (rev. 2016) (conduct prejudicial 

to administration of justice), as well as his oath of office as 

an attorney.

In his answer, the respondent admitted to the allegations 

listed in the formal charges and acknowledged that he did 

not serve his clients in a timely and professional manner. 

The respondent did not suggest that his neglect of the estates 

was due to any mitigating circumstances. In response to the 

respondent’s answer, the relator recommended a 45-day suspension with 2 years of monitored probation upon reinstatement. The respondent did not object to the recommended discipline and states he is willing to accept a 45-day suspension 

followed by a period of 2 years of monitored probation.

ANALYSIS

A proceeding to discipline an attorney is a trial de novo 

on the record. Counsel for Dis. v. Gast, 298 Neb. 203, 903 

N.W.2d 259 (2017). To sustain a charge in a disciplinary 
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Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets

309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

proceeding against an attorney, a charge must be established 

by clear and convincing evidence. Counsel for Dis. v. Island, 

296 Neb. 624, 894 N.W.2d 804 (2017). Violation of a disciplinary rule concerning the practice of law is a ground for 

discipline. Id.

Based on the record and the undisputed facts, we find that 

the above-referenced facts have been established by clear and 

convincing evidence. Based on the foregoing evidence, we conclude that by virtue of the respondent’s conduct, the respondent 

has violated §§ 3-501.1, 3.501.3, and 3-508.4(a) and (d) of the 

professional conduct rules. We specifically conclude that the 

respondent has violated his oath of office as an attorney. See 

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 7-104 (Reissue 2012). We further conclude 

that discipline should be imposed.

We have stated that the basic issues in a disciplinary proceeding against a lawyer are whether discipline should be 

imposed and, if so, the type of discipline appropriate under the 

circumstances. See Counsel for Dis. v. Island, supra. Neb. Ct. 

R. § 3-304 of the disciplinary rules provides that the following 

may be considered as discipline for attorney misconduct:

(A) Misconduct shall be grounds for:

(1) Disbarment by the Court; or

(2) Suspension by the Court; or

(3) Probation by the Court in lieu of or subsequent to 

suspension, on such terms as the Court may designate; or

(4) Censure and reprimand by the Court; or

(5) Temporary suspension by the Court; or

(6) Private reprimand by the Committee on Inquiry or 

Disciplinary Review Board.

(B) The Court may, in its discretion, impose one or 

more of the disciplinary sanctions set forth above.

See, also, § 3-310(N) of the disciplinary rules.

With respect to the imposition of attorney discipline in an 

individual case, we evaluate each attorney discipline case in 

light of its particular facts and circumstances. See Counsel for 

Dis. v. Island, supra. For purposes of determining the proper 
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309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

discipline of an attorney, we consider the attorney’s acts both 

underlying the events of the case and throughout the proceeding, as well as any aggravating or mitigating factors. Id.

To determine whether and to what extent discipline should 

be imposed in an attorney discipline proceeding, we consider 

the following factors: (1) the nature of the offense, (2) the need 

for deterring others, (3) the maintenance of the reputation of 

the bar as a whole, (4) the protection of the public, (5) the attitude of the offender generally, and (6) the respondent’s present 

or future fitness to continue in the practice of law. Id. We have 

considered prior discipline, including reprimands, as aggravators. See State ex rel. Counsel for Dis. v. Nich, 279 Neb. 533, 

780 N.W.2d 638 (2010).

With respect to the discipline to be imposed, the relator recommended suspension of the respondent’s license to practice 

law for a period of 45 days, followed by a 2-year term of monitored probation. The relator compared the level of misconduct 

to that presented in State ex rel. Counsel for Dis. v. Troshynski, 

300 Neb. 763, 916 N.W.2d 57 (2018). The respondent in 

Troshynski, who was also a solo practitioner, was charged with 

neglecting two personal injury cases. We imposed a suspension 

for a period of 45 days, followed by 2 years of probation and 

monitoring. Id.

As noted in his “Reply to Relator’s Response,” the respond

ent does not object to the relator’s recommended discipline; 

the respondent states that he is willing to accept the suggested 

discipline and that he “would welcome the involvement of a 

monitoring attorney.”

The uncontested charges are that the respondent neglected 

seven estate proceedings over several years. He failed to 

advance cases even after he was contacted by the relator. We 

have considered the uncontested allegations and the applicable 

law. Upon due consideration, the court finds that the relator’s 

recommendation of a 45-day suspension followed by 2 years of 

monitored probation is appropriate. See State ex rel. Counsel 

for Dis. v. Troshynski, supra. The respondent shall comply 
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309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

with the notification requirements of Neb. Ct. R. § 3-316 (rev. 

2014), and upon failure to do so, he shall be subject to punishment for contempt of this court. We also direct the respondent 

to pay costs and expenses in accordance with Neb. Rev. Stat. 

§§ 7-114 and 7-115 (Reissue 2012), § 3-310(P), and Neb. 

Ct. R. 3-323(B) of the disciplinary rules within 60 days after 

an order imposing costs and expenses, if any, is entered by 

this court.

At the end of the 45-day suspension, the respondent may 

apply to be reinstated to the practice of law, provided that he 

has demonstrated his compliance with § 3-316 and further 

provided that the relator has not notified this court that the 

respondent has violated any disciplinary rule during his suspension. Upon reinstatement, the respondent shall complete 2 

years of monitored probation. During the period of probation, 

the respondent will be monitored by an attorney licensed to 

practice law in the State of Nebraska and approved by the relator. The monitoring plan shall include, but not be limited to, 

the following:

(1) On a monthly basis, the respondent shall provide the monitoring attorney with a list of all cases for which the respondent 

is then currently responsible, said list to include the following 

information for each case: (a) the date the attorney-client relationship began, (b) the type of case (i.e., criminal, dissolution, 

probate, contract, et cetera), (c) the date of the last contact 

with the client, (d) the last date and type of work completed on 

the case, (e) the next type of work and date to be completed 

on the case, and (f) any applicable statute of limitations and 

its date;

(2) On a monthly basis, the respondent shall meet with the 

monitoring attorney to discuss the respondent’s pending cases;

(3) The respondent shall work with the monitoring attorney 

to develop and implement appropriate office procedures to 

ensure that client matters are handled in a timely manner; and

(4) If at any time the monitoring attorney believes the 

respondent has violated a disciplinary rule or has failed to 
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309 Nebraska Reports

STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. BIRCH

Cite as 309 Neb. 79

comply with the terms of probation, the monitoring attorney 

shall report the same to the relator.

CONCLUSION

We find that the respondent violated §§ 3-501.1, 3.501.3, and 

3-508.4(a) and (d), as well as his oath of office as an attorney, 

see § 7-104. It is the judgment of this court that the respondent 

is suspended from the practice of law for a period of 45 days, 

effective immediately. It is the further judgment of this court 

that upon completion of the period of suspension, the respond

ent may be reinstated to the bar, provided that the respondent 

has demonstrated that he has secured an attorney monitor who 

will supervise his monitored probation for 2 years, subject to 

the terms set forth above.

Judgment of suspension.