Opinion ID: 1121926
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the arias matter

Text: In 1968 petitioner represented Miguel Arias in a criminal matter. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and at Arias' request petitioner filed a notice of appeal. Apparently because of Arias' failure to complete payment for his services at the trial level, petitioner failed to pursue the appeal, and in February of 1970 it was dismissed for want of prosecution. Miguel Arias' mother, Mrs. Lowe, testified she met with petitioner in his office pursuant to Miguel's request and begged petitioner to institute a habeas corpus proceeding on his behalf. According to Mrs. Lowe petitioner refused the $300 check she had brought and stated he would need a thousand dollars to obtain a reporter's transcript and institute the habeas corpus proceeding. She testified she left the office but subsequently received a call from petitioner stating he would buy the transcript and bring the action for $500. Mrs. Lowe's daughter-in-law (Miguel Arias' wife) gave a $500 check to a friend of petitioner who transmitted it to him. Petitioner cashed the check, using the proceeds for his own purposes. He did not order the transcript or take any further action on behalf of Miguel Arias. In 1970 members of the Inmate Legal Assistance Group, a clinical program of the U.C.L.A. Law School under the supervision of Professor Arthur Rosett, were reached by Miguel Arias. Hubert Childress then a law student, but an attorney at the time of his testimony, indicated Arias told him in an interview petitioner was preparing an application for writ of habeas corpus, pursuant to a fee already provided by his mother. Childress further testified he telephoned petitioner to inquire about the transcript of the Arias trial. Petitioner informed him a trial transcript had been ordered but had not yet arrived. Petitioner also stated he was doing the best he could on the habeas corpus matter. Three or four days thereafter Childress wrote a letter to petitioner confirming this conversation and requesting an opportunity to review the trial transcript when it arrived. [2] Petitioner did not respond in writing to this letter. Subsequent telephone inquiries by Childress were fruitless and pursuant to his request, another law student, also an attorney at the time of his testimony, traveled to the federal district court in San Diego and learned no trial transcript had ever been ordered. On receiving this information Childress requested Professor Rosett to call petitioner. This call was made and the professor testified petitioner stated that Arias' mother had given him $500 for a trial transcript and that he had ordered the transcript. Petitioner testified the $500 was not related to the trial transcript or the habeas corpus proceeding but instead was money owing him by Miguel Arias. According to petitioner, an old friend had loaned Arias $500 because of petitioner's promise to repay the money if Arias defaulted. Allegedly, Arias did default, and petitioner paid the friend the $500. Petitioner also offered a declaration by Mrs. Lowe filed in a motion to reinstate the appeal before the United States Court of Appeals. In this declaration she stated a few days after visiting petitioner's office, her daughter-in-law informed her petitioner would take the case for $500. However, the record also reveals Mrs. Lowe testified she received the initial offer in the phone call and later had the phone conversation confirmed when her daughter-in-law returned from meeting with petitioner on another matter and stated petitioner wanted the $500 so he could proceed. At the time of the hearing, Miguel Arias had been deported to Mexico. The State Bar attempted to secure his presence but he declined. He also refused to have his deposition taken in Mexico.