Title: In Re Morris
Citation: 251 Kan. 592, 834 P.2d 384
Docket Number: 67,866, 67866
State: Kansas
Issuer: Kansas Supreme Court
Date: July 10, 1992

251 Kan. 592 (1992)
834 P.2d 384
In the Matter of WILLIAM SCOTT MORRIS, Respondent.
No. 67,866

Supreme Court of Kansas.
Opinion filed July 10, 1992.
Bruce E. Miller, disciplinary administrator, argued the cause and was on the formal complaint for the petitioner.
William Scott Morris, appeared pro se.
Per Curiam:
This original proceeding in discipline was filed by the office of the disciplinary administrator against William Scott Morris, of Topeka, Kansas, an attorney admitted to the practice of law in the State of Kansas. The formal complaint filed against respondent consists of six counts, and alleges violations of MRPC 1.15 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 263), 1.4 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 234), and 8.4 (a), (b), (c), (d), and (g) (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 308), and Canons 1 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 174), 6 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 199), 7 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 204), and 9 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 216). Respondent filed an answer and essentially admitted the factual allegations set out in the complaint.
A hearing before the panel of the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys was held May 7, 1991, in the Harold R. Fatzer hearing room at the Kansas Judicial Center, Topeka, Kansas. Respondent appeared pro se. The panel made the following findings of fact:
Although the respondent committed serious acts of professional misconduct which could warrant disbarment, the panel noted that his accomplice was drug addiction: "The devastating and destructive effects of substance abuse and total addiction are dramatically illustrated through the respondent's personal account of his self-destruction as a person and an attorney."
The panel recommended that respondent be disciplined by suspension from the practice of law for a period of three years pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 203(a)(2) (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 143). Respondent filed no exceptions to the panel's report and was directed to appear before this court pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 212(d) (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 157).
After carefully reviewing the record in this action, we agree with and adopt the panel's findings and conclusions, and we essentially accept the recommendation of discipline.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that William Scott Morris be and he is hereby indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in this state, effective December 17, 1990, the date of his original temporary suspension.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondent shall comply with the provisions of Supreme Court Rule 218 (1991 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 163).
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the costs of the proceeding be assessed to the respondent, and that this order be published in the official Kansas Reports.