Opinion ID: 2385538
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: kafka complaint

Text: Respondent was retained on October 9, 1980 by Stephen Kafka, an overseas airline pilot for Flying Tigers Airline, to defend him against a simple assault complaint filed in the Kinnelon Borough Municipal Court. Due to Kafka's occupation, he was frequently out of the United States during most of any month. He had informed Respondent that he would be available for an October 28, 1980 hearing. However, a day or two before the hearing date, mechanical difficulties with an airplane made it impossible for him to return to this country for the hearing. He advised Respondent's office of this, and a new date of November 10 was scheduled by the court. Kafka and his 11-year-old son, a witness to the alleged assault, met with Respondent in the late afternoon or early evening of November 10 to discuss their testimony and trial strategy. They agreed to meet in the Municipal Court at 8 p.m. that evening. While the Kafkas arrived in time, Respondent did not. Unsuccessfully, Kafka attempted to contact Respondent by telephone. Respondent finally appeared at 9:45 p.m. or 10 p.m., explaining that he had been ill and could not try the case that evening. The case was adjourned. Respondent's illness was attributed to stomach problems aggravated by his drug addiction. A dispute concerning fees due Respondent then developed. Kafka and Respondent exchanged correspondence during December. Respondent had written, but not mailed, a sharp response to Kafka's somewhat stinging letter of December 17. In his unmailed letter, Respondent informed Kafka that he should seek new counsel immediately. Respondent had not mailed this letter because of its tone. Respondent, unsure whether he should continue to represent Kafka because of Kafka's questioning of the fees, nevertheless continued to represent him. A new hearing date in mid-January was scheduled. By that time, Respondent had resolved to withdraw as counsel, but failed to advise Kafka of this decision. Counsel for the complainant, however, had been advised. The case was again rescheduled, now to January 27, 1981, to accommodate Respondent's decision to withdraw from the case. Respondent was informed by opposing counsel that he would not consent to any future adjournments. Kafka was not advised of opposing counsel's position. By letter dated January 23, Kafka was informed by Respondent of the January 27 hearing date. The letter made a cursory reference to Respondent's intent to withdraw as counsel. The trial was adjourned until February 11, 1981. A few days before this trial date, Kafka received papers in support of Respondent's motion to withdraw. The papers were signed by Paparazzo and not Respondent. Respondent had apparently suffered recurrences of his illness throughout the holiday season and into January 1981. At the urging of his wife and parents, Respondent took an unplanned vacation in late January and early February, during which time the motion papers were prepared. Respondent had returned from vacation and was in the office by February 11, but did not argue the motion; an associate did. The motion was granted. Kafka retained new counsel. The Municipal Court hearing was rescheduled again by the Municipal Court Judge who had perhaps been inadvertently prejudiced by inaccuracies contained in the affidavit in support of the motion to withdraw. Kafka was convicted of the offense. The panel held that the manner in which Respondent sought to withdraw from the case violated DR 2-110(A)(2). No due notice to withdraw had been given to Kafka. While opposing counsel knew of Respondent's intent to withdraw in early or mid-January, Kafka was not so informed. The panel found that Kafka: ... was lulled into a false sense of security until a few days before the scheduled January 27 hearing when a two-sentence letter advised him that, at the hearing, an application to be relieved as counsel would be made. The panel found that neither the supporting affidavit nor any cover letter with the motion papers advised Kafka to seek other counsel immediately. It also concluded that a perfunctory and grossly imprecise affidavit was filed to accommodate Respondent's vacation plans. It gave the Municipal Court Judge a mistaken impression of the client's character. The panel found that Respondent's last minute motion to withdraw prejudiced his client who was not given adequate notice and was caused to pay additional counsel fees. The panel did not find that the factual errors in the affidavit were intentionally inserted, the Kafka file being one of many which were handled by his office during his unplanned vacation. The panel held that Respondent violated DR 2-110(A)(2) and DR 7-101(A) and that he should receive discipline more severe than a private reprimand. The panel added that it became evident that some of Respondent's actions or omissions could have been indirectly related to his physical maladies and accompanying drug addiction.