Opinion ID: 1215810
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: SECOND CAUSE OF COMPLAINT (Bertha LaVert)

Text: The accused represented Bertha LaVert in an action filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. The accused failed to appear for a deposition scheduled for April 5, 1984, and failed to notify opposing counsel of his inability to appear. The plaintiff's deposition was then formally set for May 1, 1984, at the United States Courthouse. The accused failed to notify opposing counsel of his inability to appear at the deposition but instead sent his legal assistant (a non-lawyer), Ernest G. Moore, to attend. The accused instructed Moore to sit in on the deposition and attempt to reschedule the deposition. The deposition commenced and continued until the accused arrived. The accused then obtained the consent of the defendant's attorney to adjourn the deposition until May 4, 1984. The accused failed to appear for the continuance of the deposition on May 4, 1984, and failed to notify opposing counsel of his inability to attend. On May 15, 1984, Judge Owen M. Panner dismissed the LaVert case as a sanction for the conduct set forth above and for other delinquencies of the accused. Thereafter, the accused filed a motion for reconsideration of the order of dismissal, and a hearing on that issue was held on June 1, 1984. At that time Judge Panner vacated the order dismissing the case and assessed a monetary sanction of $250 against the accused. Although Judge Panner reinstated the case, he commented as to the many, many excuses for what I consider many delinquencies. The Trial Panel concluded and we conclude that the accused is guilty of violating former DR 1-102(A)(5) (current DR 1-102(A)(4)) for engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and guilty of violating former DR 6-101(A)(3) (current DR 6-101(B)) for neglecting a legal matter entrusted to him. No other conclusion would be justified. The accused offers no acceptable excuse for his failure to represent his client.