Opinion ID: 1442267
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Propriety of the Discipline

Text: (9a) As in the threshold determination of whether petitioner's conduct warrants discipline, protection of the public, the courts, and the integrity of the legal profession guides our imposition of discipline. ( Snyder v. State Bar (1990) 49 Cal.3d 1302, 1307 [265 Cal. Rptr. 429, 783 P.2d 1146].) In this respect, we accord great weight to the recommendation of the review department. Petitioner bears the burden of proving the recommendation erroneous or unlawful. ( Ibid. ) Petitioner argues that because the State Bar failed to establish that her abuse of alcohol affected her practice of law, the discipline recommended is unnecessary to protect the public or her clients from a threat of future misconduct. We disagree. As stated above, petitioner's convictions and the circumstances surrounding them indicate a problem of alcohol abuse. (See ante, pp. 495-496.) Moreover, as noted, we cannot wait until the problem begins to affect her practice of law when given that such spillover effects are likely to occur if the problem goes unchecked. ( Ibid. ) Petitioner also contends that because alcoholism is widely regarded as a disease, it is unfair and irrational to impose discipline on the basis of acts resulting therefrom. Petitioner's own factual and legal assertions, however, do not support this contention. (10) Generally, we may regard addictive alcoholism as a mitigating factor if it is causally related to the misconduct at issue and the attorney has shown sustained rehabilitative efforts. ( In re Billings (1990) 50 Cal.3d 358, 367 [267 Cal. Rptr. 319, 787 P.2d 617].) (9b) Petitioner, however, made no attempt to show such rehabilitative efforts. In fact, she maintains that she has no alcohol abuse problem. Rehabilitative efforts presuppose admission of the problem. Petitioner's failure to recognize the problem, its effect on her private life, and its potential effect on her professional practice, heighten the need for discipline. The Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct (Rules Proc. of State Bar, div. V) serve as guidelines for imposition of discipline. Under standard 3.4, the discipline suggested for an attorney's conviction of a crime not involving moral turpitude but involving other misconduct warranting discipline is that discipline appropriate to the nature and extent of the misconduct. Petitioner's convictions and her violation of the court order did not cause specific harm to the public or the courts. In addition, the review department found several significant mitigating factors (e.g., lack of a prior disciplinary record, extensive involvement in community service, and cooperation during disciplinary proceedings). For these reasons, relatively minimal discipline is warranted in this case, even though petitioner's crimes were serious and involved a threat of harm to the public. (Compare In re Hickey, supra, 50 Cal.3d 571 [30-day actual suspension following nolo contendere plea to charge of carrying concealed weapon and repeated incidents of violence related to attorney's alcohol abuse], with In re Morales, supra, 35 Cal.3d 1 [18-month disciplinary probation following conviction of misdemeanor tax and unemployment insurance reporting offenses].) Public reproval and referral to the State Bar Program on Alcohol Abuse are sufficient to protect the public from the threat of future professional misconduct. Petitioner argues that imposing discipline consisting, in part, of conditions bearing on her nonprofessional life is fundamentally unfair and therefore violates her constitutional rights to due process and privacy. We disagree. Due process and privacy do not bar the imposition of discipline tailored to eliminate the source of petitioner's misconduct. We reject petitioner's contention that referral to the State Bar alcohol abuse program is unsupported by the evidence and unnecessary to protect the public. As the State Bar points out, the first step after referral is evaluation and screening for suitability of enrollment in the program. We agree with the review department that two drunk driving convictions, the second involving a violation of a court order based on the first, warrant this measure even absent an evidentiary finding that petitioner in fact suffers from such a problem. However, we agree with petitioner that the requirement that petitioner abstain from the use of intoxicants for three years is not necessary to protect the public. Referral to the alcohol abuse program on condition that she comply with all the terms of such program is sufficient to protect the public and petitioner's clients from the threat of future misconduct related to her drinking. Failure by petitioner to comply in full with this condition or any other condition of her disciplinary probation may constitute cause for a separate proceeding for breach of rule 1-110, Rules of Professional Conduct. (See Cal. Rules of Court, rule 956(b).)