Opinion ID: 1059550
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Morrissey's Prior Disciplinary Record

Text: In March 1986, Morrissey was found guilty of contempt of court in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond. Morrissey lost his temper, shouted at the presiding judge, and continued to argue with the court after it had ruled. Morrissey was found guilty of contempt of court and fined $50. The court vacated the contempt conviction after Morrissey wrote a letter of apology. In December 1987, the Circuit Court of the County of Henrico held Morrissey in contempt of court twice during the course of a single trial. He was fined $50 for the first offense and $100 for the second offense. In May 1988, the Circuit Court of Henrico County held Morrissey in contempt of court and imposed a fine of $50. In December 1990, Morrissey was issued a private reprimand from the Virginia State Bar because he had failed to file timely a petition for appeal on behalf of a client, and he also failed to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of that client. He also failed to file a petition for appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia for that client, and he failed to inform the client of his omissions. In June 1991, Morrissey, then Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Richmond, appeared in the Richmond General District Court because he was upset that the court refused to accept a plea agreement that an assistant Commonwealth's Attorney had proposed to the court. After a heated exchange between Morrissey and the presiding judge, Morrissey wrote a letter to the judge which stated in part: Although I was unfailingly courteous to you, it was evident to everybody that you were trying to bait meperhaps so you could hold me in contempt. Please be assured ... that if that behavior ever, ever, happens again, I will not be so kind as to merely draft you a letter of indignation. The general district court found Morrissey guilty of contempt of court, the circuit court upheld the conviction, and the circuit court's judgment was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Morrissey v. Commonwealth, 16 Va. App. 172, 428 S.E.2d 503 (1993). In 1991, Morrissey was sentenced to jail for ten days, with five days suspended, for contempt of court because he was involved in a fist fight with opposing counsel in a criminal trial which was conducted in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond. Thereafter, a three-judge court entered an order which reprimanded Morrissey for his unprofessional conduct. In 1993, a three-judge court suspended Morrissey's law license for six months because of misconduct which constituted dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in violation of former Disciplinary Rule 1-102(A)(4). Morrissey, while serving as Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Richmond, arranged a plea bargain in a rape prosecution. Under the terms of the plea agreement, a felony rape charge against a criminal defendant was reduced to a misdemeanor, and the defendant's father paid $25,000 to the victim and $25,000 to charities designated by Morrissey. At a hearing before the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond, when the court accepted the plea agreement, Morrissey directed the defendant's attorney not to tell the court about the part of the plea agreement relating to the defendant's father's contributions to charities of Morrissey's choice. Morrissey also concealed this portion of the agreement from the victim, who had indicated to Morrissey that she wanted more than $25,000 as an accord and satisfaction. On appeal, this Court affirmed the order of suspension. Morrissey v. Virginia State Bar, 248 Va. 334, 343-44, 448 S.E.2d 615, 620 (1994). We stated that Morrissey's carefully orchestrated scheme was designed to secure something of value to Morrisseythe possibility that members of the donee charities would express their gratitude in the form of political support in the forthcoming election and that his conduct violated former Disciplinary Rule 8-101(A)(3). In 1993, while still serving as the Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Richmond, Morrissey unilaterally amended an arrest warrant for a criminal defendant, thereby reducing the charged offense from driving under the influence to reckless driving, a misdemeanor. Morrissey amended the arrest warrant without the knowledge or consent of the circuit court, in contravention of the Rules of Court. Morrissey received a sanction from the Virginia State Bar in the form of a dismissal with terms in which Morrissey agreed to write a letter of apology to the court.