Opinion ID: 759171
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reinstatement Proceedings

Text: 17 Mr. Justice Frankfurter commented that [a] proceeding for disbarment of a lawyer is always painful. Theard, 354 U.S. at 279, 77 S.Ct. 1274. Caranchini's case is certainly no different. With this in mind, we note that subsequent efforts by Caranchini might prove fruitful. We are cognizant that the Missouri Supreme Court permits the reinstatement of disbarred attorneys at an appropriate time. [A]ny attorney or counselor at law removed from practice ... on application to the supreme court ... may be reinstated as such attorney or counselor at law, in the discretion of the court, at any time after one year from the date of such judgment of removal or suspension. Mo.Rev.Stat. § 484.270. 18 This is not a hollow remedy since the Missouri Supreme Court has often provided for leave to apply for reinstatement within a certain number of years. See, e.g., In re McMullin, 370 S.W.2d 151, 156 (Mo.1963) (en banc); In re Foley, 364 S.W.2d 1, 9 (Mo.1963) (en banc). In the event that application for reinstatement is made consistent with the applicable requirements, we are confident that the Missouri Supreme Court's careful review will show whether Caranchini has changed her fundamental approach to the practice of law and has embraced the professionalism and civility required of all representatives of the court. Our review of the record leads us to believe that such change may have occurred or be in the process of occurring as a consequence of the punishment she has been meted. We are confident that the federal courts would likely follow any reinstatement determination made by the Missouri Supreme Court. However, Caranchini's professional misfortune should not cloud the legal analysis.