Opinion ID: 1862573
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Review of Sanction Imposed by the ADB

Text: The Grievance Administrator urges us to increase the level of discipline imposed by the ADB for respondent's misconduct. We invoke our authority under MCR 9.122(E) to change a disciplinary order only if the sanction imposed by the ADB is inappropriate. Rostash, supra at 297, 577 N.W.2d 452. In this case, however, the ADB erroneously concluded that our prior order limited the disciplinary options. Further, the ADB did not have the benefit of our guidance regarding use of the ABA standards. We therefore remand this case to the ADB for reconsideration of its decision regarding the appropriate level of discipline in light of the ABA standards. On remand, the ADB may consider all sanction options, including disbarment. ABA Standards 6.31(b) and 6.32 discuss the circumstances under which misconduct involving an ex parte communication with a judge warrants a suspension or disbarment. The ADB, of course, is not bound by the hearing panel's application of the standards, particularly its assessment whether the ex parte communication caused serious injury or potentially serious injury to a party, or caused significant interference or potentially significant interference with the outcome of the legal proceeding. We are troubled by the hearing panel's narrow focus on the preliminary voting decisions of the other members of the Court of Appeals panel, without regard for the effect of a strongly reasoned proposed opinion on their decision whether to join Judge Bronson's opinion. In addition to potentially altering the Court of Appeals decision, an ex parte communication that affects the reasoning of the opinion may also injure a party by necessitating the expenditure of additional resources to obtain relief from this Court. The ADB should also consider the harm to the administration of justice caused by respondent's misconduct. Shaman, Lubet & Alfini, Judicial Conduct and Ethics (3d ed.), § 5.01, pp. 159-160, describes the dangers associated with ex parte communications: Ex parte communications deprive the absent party of the right to respond and be heard. They suggest bias or partiality on the part of the judge. Ex parte conversations or correspondence can be misleading; the information given to the judge may be incomplete or inaccurate, the problem can be incorrectly stated. At the very least, participation in ex parte communications will expose the judge to one-sided argumentation, which carries the attendant risk of an erroneous ruling on the law or facts. At worst, ex parte communication is an invitation to improper influence if not outright corruption.
Today, we adopt the ABA standards on an interim basis and direct the ADB and hearing panels to use them in determining the appropriate sanction for lawyer misconduct. In this case, we hold that the ADB erroneously concluded that our prior order prevented it from increasing the level of discipline beyond the forty-five-day suspension imposed by the hearing panel. We therefore remand this case to the ADB for reconsideration of its decision regarding the appropriate sanction for respondent's misconduct.