Opinion ID: 1264518
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Prior Disciplinary Proceedings

Text: As indicated above, prior disciplinary proceedings have been instituted against respondent McCorkle resulting in sanctions imposed by this Court. In Committee on Legal Ethics v. McCorkle, 192 W.Va. 286, 452 S.E.2d 377 (1994), ( McCorkle 1 ), the appellant was charged with: (1) drug and alcohol abuse, [1] (2) the improper solicitation of clients and (3) the presenting of false testimony before the Hearing Panel Subcommittee. Upon review, determining that the charges were proven by clear and convincing evidence, this Court suspended the respondent's license to practice law in West Virginia for two years and directed that he obtain treatment and counseling for his drug and alcohol problems. Moreover, rather than permitting automatic reinstatement, this Court made clear that McCorkle must file an application for reinstatement to the practice of law. To date, no such application has been filed. McCorkle 1, the solicitation and false testimony charges were related. The evidence indicated that respondent McCorkle used a hospital emergency room employee to contact accident victims upon his behalf. McCorkle then telephoned the victims at home seeking to represent them. In response, McCorkle asserted that he had received various telephone messages to call the accident victims and that, therefore, he was merely making return calls. However, upholding a finding that McCorkle testified falsely concerning the telephone calls, this Court stated: Mr. McCorkle presented false testimony to the Committee when he claimed he was returning phone calls to Mrs. Scarbro and to the Hudnall residence. Furthermore, we agree with the Committee's finding that the phone message he produced was manufactured to support his claim. 192 W.Va. at 293, 452 S.E.2d at 384. McCorkle 1 suggests that such conduct constitutes a serious transgression of the rules of ethics pertaining to lawyers. A second disciplinary proceeding against the respondent resulted in this Court's decision in Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. McCorkle, 200 W.Va. 261, 489 S.E.2d 15 (1997), ( McCorkle 2 ). Therein, the respondent was hired by an administratrix (prior to his suspension) to pursue two wrongful death claims. As the Lawyer Disciplinary Board determined, however, McCorkle failed to maintain financial records to document the expenses the administratrix advanced. Moreover, he failed to provide her with an itemized statement of expenses. Finding that the Board's determination was supported by clear and convincing evidence, this Court, in McCorkle 2, ordered that the respondent be admonished and that his practice, upon his reinstatement, be supervised for two years.