Opinion ID: 1578120
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Disparity in Attorney Discipline is Unjustifiable

Text: Finally, apart from the erroneous legal analysis applied by the hearing panel and the ADB, I believe this case highlights inconsistent disciplinary treatment given to similar conduct. In Grievance Administrator v. Raaflaub, supra, the ADB suspended attorney David H. Raaflaub for one year for stating, among other things, that the prosecutor was engaged in conspiracies and abused his powers of office. I am unable to distinguish the substance of the statements regarding the conspiracies and abuse of office made by Mr. Raaflaub from those made by Mr. Fieger. Rather than conclude that, like the statements made by Mr. Fieger, Mr. Raaflaub's statements were protected political speech because they were gross exaggerations to convey the view the prosecutor's investigation reached the wrong conclusion, the ADB found that Mr. Raaflaub made statements he knew to be false or made statements with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity. Further, the ADB did not distinguish in its opinion the statements regarding the conspiracies and abuse of office that were similar to those made by Mr. Fieger from the other statements made by Mr. Raaflaub. In finding a one-year suspension appropriate, the ADB noted that other cases suggested that unfounded accusations like those made by Attorney Raaflaub may result in an extended suspension. One such case is In re Estes, supra . In that case, this Court upheld a one-year suspension for an attorney who falsely accused a trial judge with conspiring with the prevailing party in the litigation. We held: The fact that a lawyer deeply believes a trial judge has made a serious error in deciding an important case is hardly proper ground for his charging in an official court record that the judge had violated his oath of office and illegally and unlawfully collaborated with the prevailing party. [ Id. at 422, 94 N.W.2d 916.] See also In re Mains, supra at 610, 80 N.W. 714 (stating that the attorney's privilege does not permit the attorney to enter our courts and spread upon judicial records charges of a shocking and felonious character against brother attorneys, and against judges engaged in the administration of justice, upon mere rumors coupled with facts which should of themselves create no suspicion of official corruption in a just and fair mind. [Citation omitted]). I fail to see how it can be improper for an attorney to charge a judge with violating his oath and engaging in illegal activity if the attorney feels the judge erred, but constitutionally protected speech if the attorney charges a prosecutor with violating his oath and engaging in illegal activity if the attorney feels the prosecutor erred. In both situations, the attorney has made statements either known to be false or with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity. I question the notion that the attorney's choice of forum determines whether the objectively false statements receive First Amendment protection or are subject to discipline. Rather it seems that whether the objectively false statements are uttered to the press or on the steps of the courthouse, although possibly relevant to the degree of discipline, should be irrelevant to the determination whether the false statements are protected speech. In both situations, therefore, I believe discipline is warranted and I fail to grasp how the former can be the grounds for disciplinary action while the latter is protected speech. I find this disparate treatment for similar conduct extremely troubling. The ADB has not satisfactorily explained how it can dismiss one attorney's complaint on the ground that the statements were core political speech, yet suspend another attorney for one year for similar statements that, under the analysis used in the first case, should also constitute core political speech. This disparity, which is yet to be justified, underscores my concerns regarding the disposition of this case. This disparity also underscores why this Court should not simply affirm the ADB's determination out of deference. To do so is a retreat from this Court's efforts in Grievance Administrator v. Lopatin, 462 Mich. 235, 612 N.W.2d 120 (2000), and In re Brown, 461 Mich. 1291, 1293, 625 N.W.2d 744 (1999), to require the articulation and application of explicit standards in order to avoid the type of disparate treatment highlighted above.