Opinion ID: 1917433
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Pretrial Sanction.

Text: An appeal filed by an attorney from a grievance commission report allows the attorney to identify and argue specific claims of error in the commission proceedings. However, when an appeal is dismissed for lack of prosecution, the case proceeds to de novo review on the record before the commission without argument, as if no appeal had been taken. Iowa Ct. R. 35.11(3). Our de novo review of the record before the commission reveals no error in the procedure used at the hearing. The allegations of the complaint and the commission's request for information were deemed admitted based on Adams' failure to respond. Iowa Ct. R. 36.7 (stating, if respondent fails to file a timely answer, the allegations of the complaint shall be considered admitted); Iowa Supreme Ct. Att'y Disciplinary Bd. v. Moonen, 706 N.W.2d 391, 396 (Iowa 2005) (citing Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.510(2)). While this action relieved the board of its burden to submit evidence and present testimony to establish the allegations in the complaint, Adams was not deprived of an opportunity to present evidence to contest the complaint. Moreover, Adams did not object to the procedure adopted by the commission and testified at length at the hearing about each complaint. He also did not object to the exhibits offered as evidence at the hearing by the board.