Opinion ID: 1167668
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Matter of Petitioner's Criminal Conviction

Text: We referred petitioner's conviction to the State Bar for its report and recommendation as to whether the offense involved moral turpitude. The State Bar Court found as follows: In January 1985, petitioner pleaded nolo contendere to a violation of Vehicle Code section 23152, subdivision (a) (driving under the influence of alcohol), with a prior conviction and a finding that one Dante Sefas suffered bodily injury as a result of petitioner's actions. Petitioner was placed on probation for three years upon terms which included: (1) three weekends in custody in a city jail, the specific jail and dates to be arranged by petitioner with the court by March 29, 1985; (2) payment of a fine by May 10, 1985; (3) restitution to the injured party by May 10, 1985; and (4) completion of a driving under the influence program by February 1986. Petitioner failed to inform the court of his arrangements for custody. As a result, he was found to be in violation of probation and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Petitioner subsequently appeared in court, was given additional time to fulfill the conditions of probation, and presented proof of custody arrangements in June. Petitioner's check in payment of the fine was dishonored by his bank and he subsequently paid the fine in cash. Petitioner was seven months late in completing the drunk driving program. The State Bar Court concluded that petitioner's act of driving under the influence with resultant injury to another person, when he had prior convictions of alcohol-related driving offenses, constituted an act of moral turpitude. The State Bar Court also concluded that petitioner's repeated acts of noncompliance with the terms of probation constituted misconduct warranting discipline. In aggravation of petitioner's conduct, the hearing panel found (1) petitioner failed to cooperate with the State Bar in its investigation of the Katus, Durham, Dunn, Falk, Truitt, Sieg, Yonce and Hartman matters, by wilfully failing to respond to the State Bar inquiries; (2) petitioner failed to provide a copy of the complaint in the James matter although requested to do so; (3) in the State Bar's investigation of the Nevins matter, petitioner gave the State Bar investigator false information, claiming that he had filed the action but taken no further action after Nevins had failed to reimburse him for the filing fee when, in fact, he had not filed the complaint; (4) petitioner misled the State Bar in its investigation of the Gilbert matter; and (5) petitioner's misconduct was aggravated by the multiplicity of his acts. In mitigation, the hearing panel found: (1) petitioner has no record of prior discipline, (2) he cooperated with the State Bar in its investigation of the Beattie matter, (3) his misconduct did not involve the misuse or misappropriation of trust funds, and (4) he possesses excellent legal skills.
Petitioner concedes that he is culpable of misconduct warranting discipline but contends that the discipline recommended by the department is excessive. He argues essentially that all of his misconduct was the result of certain extrinsic difficulties, including financial setbacks, his father's lingering illness and death, and the breakup of his marriage, which led in turn to his heavy drinking and the neglect of his practice. He contends that the hearing panel failed to properly consider and weigh these mitigating factors, as well as evidence of his efforts to rehabilitate himself, the absence of prior discipline, his community involvement, the fact that his misconduct did not involve the misuse or misappropriation of client funds, and his cooperation with the State Bar investigation. He also contends that the review department erroneously rejected the hearing panel's finding that his legal abilities constituted a significant mitigating factor. (1) We start from the premise that protection of the public and the bar, not punishment, is the primary purpose of attorney discipline and that we must accordingly consider all relevant mitigating and aggravating circumstances. ( Hipolito v. State Bar (1989) 48 Cal.3d 621, 626 [257 Cal. Rptr. 331, 770 P.2d 743].) In our consideration of the nature of a disciplinary offense we are not insensitive to the personal and professional problems that frequently besiege the practitioner.... ( Tenner v. State Bar (1980) 28 Cal.3d 202, 207 [168 Cal. Rptr. 333, 617 P.2d 486].) In some cases, personal problems may legitimately explain a period of inattention to one's law practice; in others, however, they may merely provide a convenient excuse. This case, sad to say, appears to fall in the latter category. (2) The hearing panel in this proceeding duly considered and rejected as lacking in credibility much of the evidence presented by petitioner in mitigation. While we independently examine the record, these findings are entitled to substantial weight. ( Gallagher v. State Bar (1981) 28 Cal.3d 832, 838 [171 Cal. Rptr. 325, 622 P.2d 421].) It is petitioner's burden to demonstrate that they are erroneous. ( Dixon v. State Bar (1982) 32 Cal.3d 728, 736 [187 Cal. Rptr. 30, 653 P.2d 321].) Petitioner has failed to carry his burden in this regard. As to petitioner's asserted financial difficulties stemming from his separation from the Culver City law firm (petitioner claims to have lost a $2,000 monthly salary), the hearing panel justifiably observed that petitioner's breakup with the firm was hardly likely to induce him to abandon clients at a time when he most needed them. The panel was also not persuaded that the illness and death of petitioner's father affected his practice, noting that there was no evidence his father's condition occupied any significant portion of petitioner's time and attention. [13] The panel further observed that petitioner's alcohol problem predated both his separation from the firm and his father's death; indeed, petitioner's alcohol-related driving offenses date from 1975, four years before his admission to the bar. As to petitioner's claim that the breakup of his marriage detracted from his professional responsibilities, the panel noted that petitioner had abandoned clients Gilbert, Hartman, Nevins, Dunn and Schumacher before he was even married, and went on to abandon Yonce, Truitt, James and Beattie while the marriage was, by his own admission, still healthy. Nor was the panel overly impressed with petitioner's evidence of community service, consisting primarily of his membership in the local chamber of commerce, board of realtors, Elks and Jaycees, and his efforts to revive the Culver City Bar Association. The record amply supports the panel's conclusion that petitioner's participation in these groups did not present clear and convincing evidence of public service as a mitigating factor. [14] The record also shows that petitioner's character witnesses  including two municipal court judges, a court commissioner and several attorneys  while professing respect for petitioner's skills as an attorney, conceded that petitioner frequently missed court appearances and had a reputation for alcohol abuse. None testified affirmatively as to defendant's moral character. The hearing panel also noted that none of the witnesses had observed petitioner recently and therefore could not speak to the question of his rehabilitation and current fitness to practice. As presented in his brief and emphasized at oral argument, petitioner's claim of excessive discipline rests primarily on the assertion that he went through a period of extreme alcohol abuse but was now thoroughly rehabilitated. However, the record amply supports the hearing panel's rejection of rehabilitation as a mitigating factor. Petitioner testified that he had been arrested for alcohol-related driving offenses in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987. The 1980 and 1985 arrests resulted in convictions (the 1987 arrest was pending at the time of the disciplinary hearing). Petitioner also acknowledged that he had developed a pattern of drinking when under stress. Petitioner's evidence of rehabilitation consisted of the declarations and testimony of the president of a substance abuse program to which petitioner had twice been referred by the municipal court for his drunk driving convictions in 1980 and 1985, and two persons who counselled petitioner in the program. While all three testified that petitioner had made progress with his drinking problem while in the program, none had specific knowledge about petitioner's drinking since his completion of the program in September 1986. Petitioner claimed to have stopped drinking in September 1987, the month before the disciplinary hearing, so as not to cloud any thoughts ... at the time of the hearing. Petitioner gave no indication, however, that he was currently enrolled in any ongoing substance abuse program at the time of the hearing. (3) While we have recognized in the context of disciplinary proceedings the all too frequent devastating impact of alcohol abuse ( Tenner, supra, 28 Cal.3d at p. 207), [i]n the absence of reliable evidence that a `long-standing addiction is permanently under control' ( Gary v. State Bar (1988) 44 Cal.3d 820, 828 [244 Cal. Rptr. 482, 749 P.2d 1336]), or demonstration of `a meaningful and sustained period of successful rehabilitation' ( Rosenthal v. State Bar, supra, 43 Cal.3d at p. 664, italics added [18 months of sobriety insufficient to demonstrate control of addiction]), we have not found incomplete or short-term efforts at rehabilitation sufficiently compelling to warrant reducing the severity of disciplinary sanctions recommended by the State Bar Court. ( Twohy v. State Bar (1989) 48 Cal.3d 502, 515 [256 Cal. Rptr. 794, 769 P.2d 976].) Here, in light of petitioner's pattern of drunk driving arrests, including an arrest only seven months before the disciplinary hearing, the absence of any evidence of long-term rehabilitation, and his lack of participation in any ongoing substance abuse program, we are unable to conclude, on this record, that petitioner has demonstrated a successful and sustained rehabilitation sufficient to mitigate the recommended discipline. (4) Lastly, petitioner contends that the review department improperly deleted the hearing panel's finding that his legal abilities constituted a significant mitigating factor in favor of suspension rather than disbarment. [15] In view of petitioner's multiple acts of wrongdoing, the clear pattern of client neglect and abandonment, and the lack of any evidence of meaningful, long-term rehabilitation, we are inclined to agree with the department's rejection of petitioner's legal aptitude as a relevant factor in mitigation. The hearing panel considered as factors in mitigation the absence of a prior disciplinary record, the fact that petitioner's misconduct did not involve the misappropriation of client funds, and petitioner's cooperation with the State Bar in its investigation of the matter. (5) The absence of a prior disciplinary record, however, is not in our view entitled to substantial weight. Petitioner had been in practice only two years before the first of the thirteen separate disciplinary matters commenced, and continued for several years thereafter. Thus, petitioner's lack of prior disciplinary record is not a significant mitigating factor. ( Kelly v. State Bar (1988) 45 Cal.3d 649, 658 [247 Cal. Rptr. 608, 754 P.2d 1104]; Hitchcock v. State Bar (1989) 48 Cal.3d 690, 708 [257 Cal. Rptr. 696, 771 P.2d 394].) Petitioner's cooperation with the bar in the Beattie matter does not constitute a significant mitigating factor, particularly in light of petitioner's failure to cooperate with the bar in the majority of the remaining matters. Finally, we are not persuaded that petitioner's misconduct is significantly mitigated by the fact that his actions did not involve the misappropriation of client funds. The clients whom he misled, ignored and abandoned suffered substantial injury in other respects. In the Falk matter, for example, his client was taken into custody and required to post a $3,500 bail. In the Dunn case, his actions allowed the statute of limitations to bar his client's cause of action. In the Nevins case, his inaction resulted in the nonpayment to his client of six months' rent. (6) Habitual disregard by an attorney of the interests of clients is ground for disbarment under Business and Professions Code section 6103 and 6106. Even when such neglect is grossly negligent or careless, rather than willful and dishonest, it is an act of moral turpitude and professional misconduct, justifying disbarment.... ( Farnham v. State Bar (1988) 47 Cal.3d 429, 446 [253 Cal. Rptr. 249, 763 P.2d 1339], quoting Simmons v. State Bar (1970) 2 Cal.3d 719, 729 [87 Cal. Rptr. 368, 470 P.2d 352], quoting Grove v. State Bar (1967) 66 Cal.2d 680, 683-684 [58 Cal. Rptr. 564, 427 P.2d 164], internal quotation marks deleted.) The record here shows that petitioner failed to perform the services for which he was hired in 13 separate cases. In the Katus, Dunn, James, Nevins and Hartman matters, he failed to file complaints on behalf of clients. In the Durham, Falk, Truitt and Beattie matters, he failed to appear at scheduled hearings with the result that bench warrants were issued for his clients' arrest. In the Yonce matter, he failed to file the required dismissal and obtain the second installment of his clients' settlement. In the Schumacher matter, he filed an action and failed to serve or provide the court with proof of service within the statutory period. In the Gilbert matter, he failed to amend the complaint and proceed with discovery for over a year and a half after the initial complaint was filed. In the Sieg matter, he failed to take any meaningful steps to assist his client in resolving her landlord/tenant dispute. In all of the foregoing cases with the exception of the Nevins matter, petitioner failed to communicate with his clients, failed to return calls, failed to respond to letters or to respond to inquiries concerning the status of his clients' cases. The evidence further shows that in four matters (Katus, Falk, Truitt and Hartman) petitioner made misrepresentations to his clients, and in at least seven matters (Katus, Durham, Gilbert, Hartman, Truitt, Beattie and Yonce) he failed to return unearned fees. (7) Though not binding on this court ( Greenbaum v. State Bar (1987) 43 Cal.3d 543, 550 [237 Cal. Rptr. 168, 736 P.2d 754]), the Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct (Rules Proc. of State Bar, div. V) make clear that a pattern of misconduct of the type presented here shall normally result in disbarment. Standard 2.4(a) provides: Culpability of a member of a pattern of wilfully failing to perform services demonstrating the member's abandonment of the causes in which he or she was retained shall result in disbarment. The evidence in mitigation presented by petitioner in this matter was extremely modest, while that in favor of aggravation (multiple acts of abandonment and misrepresentation, significant harm to clients, and lack of cooperation with the State Bar investigation) was substantial. Furthermore, the most important potential evidence in favor of mitigation  proof of a sustained period of sobriety  was conspicuously absent. We cannot conclude, therefore, that the purpose of protecting the public and the bar would be better served if a lesser degree of discipline than that recommended by the review department were imposed. Accordingly, it is ordered that petitioner Kevin Chase Coombs be disbarred from the practice of law in this state and that his name be stricken from the roll of attorneys. It is further ordered that petitioner be ordered to comply with rule 955 of the California Rules of Court and that he perform the acts specified in subdivisions (a) and (c) of that rule within 30 and 40 days, respectively, after the effective date of this order. This order is effective upon finality of this decision in this court. (See Cal. Rules of Court, rule 24(a).)