Opinion ID: 1980830
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dispositional Alternatives. The first principal issue involves two subsidiary problems.

Text: A. Our rules contemplate that the Commission after hearing on a complaint shall (a) dismiss the complaint, or (b) reprimand the attorney, or (c) recommend to this court that the attorney's license be suspended or revoked. In the case of (b) or (c), the Commission makes a report to this court, and the Committee or the attorney may take exceptions or an appeal. If neither party takes exceptions or appeals, this court proceeds to determine the matter. Court Rule 118.10. Court Rules 118.9 and 118.10 make clear that course of procedure: 118.9. At the conclusion of a hearing upon any complaint against an attorney the Grievance Commission shall dismiss the complaint, or reprimand the attorney, or recommend to this Court that the license to practice law of the accused attorney be suspended or revoked. If the Grievance Commission reprimands the attorney or recommends suspension or revocation of the attorney's license, it shall report to this Court, in writing, its Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Recommendations. The Commission may permit a reasonable time for the parties to file post hearing briefs and arguments. The disposition or report of the Commission shall be made or filed with this Court within thirty days of the date set for the filing of the last responsive brief and argument. If the Commission cannot reasonably make its determination or file its report within such time limit, it shall report that fact and the reasons therefor to the parties and the Clerk of this Court. Any determination or report of the Commission need only be concurred in by a majority of the Commissioners sitting. Any Commissioner has the right to file with this Court his or her dissent from the majority determination or report. Such matter shall then stand for final disposition in this Court. If the Grievance Commission dismisses the complaint, no report shall be made to this Court, except as provided in Rule 118.19. Any report of reprimand or recommendations for license suspension or revocation shall be a public document upon the filing thereof with the Clerk of this Court. (Italics added.) 118.10. Any report filed by the Grievance Commission with this Court shall be served upon the attorney concerned as provided by the Rules of the Grievance Commission. Such report shall be entitled in the name of the Complainant versus the accused attorney as the Respondent. If no exceptions are filed or no appeal is taken as hereinafter provided in these Rules, the Court shall proceed to determine the matter. (Italics added.) We hold that in cases postured like the present one this court may, after calling for briefs or oral argument if a substantial departure from the report may be made, reject or change the Commission's findings, conclusions, or disposition and make new ones, and increase or decrease the discipline to be administered. Rule 118.10 empowers us to determine the matter, and determine means adjudicate an issue, settle by authoritative sentence, decide. Glenn v. Mitchell, 71 Colo. 394, 207 P. 84; Eastman Kodak Co. v. Richards, 123 Misc. 83, 204 N.Y.S. 246. Our responsibility in this case, therefore, is to decide the matter. B. Before doing so, however, we consider the scope of the charges. The Commission stated that respondent committed certain acts of misconduct involving moral turpitude. . . We are unable to discern whether the moral turpitude contemplated by the Commission was respondent's committing adultery or his condoning Mrs. Curtis' frustration of the decree. We think the words moral turpitude more likely refer to the adultery. The problem here, however, is that our reading of the complaint indicates the Committee did not charge respondent with sexual misconduct, but with misconduct relating to the deposition and the decree. We stay within the general frame of the complaint, unless a new or amended complaint is filed and the proceeding starts over. We therefore do not ground our decision on the sexual misconduct in determining whether the Committee proved its charges. Neither do we ground our decision on whether respondent committed unethical conduct by participating as an attorney in a case involving his own misconduct, or in permitting his firm to do so. The complaint does not contain such a charge. We thus limit our determination to the deposition and decree issues, which definitely are in the case.