Opinion ID: 1358713
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Delay in Filing and Processing Complaint

Text: Petitioner also urges that the complaint should be dismissed as he was prejudiced by the seven-year delay by Dr. Kim in filing the complaint and also by the delay of the State Bar in processing the complaint. Neither of these contentions has merit. (10) Kim attempted at length to resolve his difficulties with petitioner through means other than complaining to the State Bar. The questioned transactions occurred in 1963; Kim negotiated with petitioner for return of his property in 1964; the civil suit was commenced by Kim in early 1965 and was not terminated until the end of 1969. Kim filed the complaint with the State Bar in the middle of 1970, only when it became apparent that petitioner was not going to pay the default judgment. It is not unreasonable for a disgruntled client to attempt to resolve his differences with an attorney through a civil action before filing a complaint with the State Bar. (See Eschwig v. State Bar, supra, 1 Cal.3d 8, 14-15, fn. 6.) Petitioner failed to present any evidence in his defense in the civil action which involved the same course of conduct as in the case of the proceeding before the State Bar. Consequently, his claim that he was prejudiced by the deaths of three witnesses during the seven-year period before the filing of the complaint is entitled to little weight, and he has otherwise failed to demonstrate wherein any real prejudice lies. (11) There is no limitation period applicable to disciplinary proceedings before the State Bar; mere lapse of time is no defense unless specific prejudice is shown. ( Lewis v. State Bar, supra, 9 Cal.3d 704, 713-714; Arden v. State Bar (1959) 52 Cal.2d 310, 316 [341 P.2d 6].) (12, 13) Petitioner also claims that the charges should be dismissed since the State Bar failed to comply with its own rules by tardiness in processing Kim's complaint. [10] However, the failure to adhere to its rules does not deprive the State Bar of jurisdiction (Rules of Proc. of the State Bar, rule 20(a)), and a dismissal of the complaint is not required without a showing of prejudice ( Vaughan v. State Bar (1973) 9 Cal.3d 698, 702 [108 Cal. Rptr. 806, 511 P.2d 1158]). Far from being prejudiced by these delays, petitioner was benefited. Although not specifically requested by petitioner the delays were required in order for the State Bar to arrange for a trial of the issues in petitioner's absence, necessitated by petitioner's election not to appear in person at the hearing. (See Geibel v. State Bar (1938) 11 Cal.2d 412, 416-417 [79 P.2d 1073], cert. den. 305 U.S. 653 [83 L.Ed. 423, 59 S.Ct. 248], rehg. den. 305 U.S. 676 [83 L.Ed. 438, 59 S.Ct. 361].) As in the case of the claimed delay in filing the complaint, petitioner fails to make any real showing of prejudice.