Opinion ID: 2054193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Complaint of William H. Williams, Jr.

Text: Respondent excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that Respondent provided incomplete and untimely responses to discovery, blaming instead his client for failing to provide the information to him. The evidence does not support this contention. The Complainant testified that he provided all information Respondent requested in order to respond to the discovery requests. As Respondent points to no evidence to the contrary, Judge Jacobson's finding is obviously supported by clear and convincing evidence. Nevertheless, even a delay by Complainant in providing the necessary information would not explain the four month delay in answering the bulk of the interrogatories for which Respondent presumably did have the necessary information, nor does it explain Respondent's failure to respond to opposing counsel's letters and telephone calls concerning the delay. Respondent also excepts to the implication in the findings of fact that because of Respondent's delay in providing discovery, a postponement of the trial was ordered. Although a postponement was later granted, the first request by Mrs. Williams' counsel, Ms. Rebecca Bryant, was denied. We therefore sustain Respondent's exception on this point. Respondent also asserts in this exception that the reason that he did not inform Complainant of the later postponement was because Complainant had moved during this period. Complainant testified, however, that he notified Respondent of his new address one week after he moved. He also spoke with Respondent approximately three times during the month preceding the scheduled trial date. Respondent's exception on this point is therefore overruled. Respondent next excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that although Respondent knew of his August 14, 1991 scheduling conflict, he did not request a postponement until August 13, 1991. Respondent asserts that on a number of occasions he tried to contact Ms. Bryant to have her appear with him at a postponement hearing, but that she was uncooperative. The evidence presented does not support this contention. Furthermore, in looking at the whole record in this case, this contention is inconsistent with Respondent's general dilatory and negligent modus operandi. Judge Jacobson's finding was supported by clear and convincing evidence. In any event, the bottom line is that Ms. Bryant did appear at the August 13th postponement hearing, unlike Respondent who did not appear at an earlier postponement hearing where Ms. Bryant requested a postponement. Respondent next excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that at the August 13th postponement hearing Respondent knowingly misrepresented to the court that he was scheduled to begin trial in Corbin v. Thompson, when the case was only set for a calendar call. The record is not clear as to whether Respondent told the trial judge that he was scheduled for a trial or a hearing in Montgomery County. It is clear, however, that Respondent was not completely candid when he failed to describe a calendar call as the true nature of his engagement in Montgomery County. It is common knowledge to any trial lawyer that a calendar call is of far less magnitude than either a trial or a hearing, and postponing or continuing a calendar call is generally less burdensome and inconvenient to all parties involved. We therefore sustain this exception in part, and overrule it in part. Respondent also questions Ms. Bryant's motives in verifying Respondent's claim that he had an appearance in Montgomery County. The reasons motivating Ms. Bryant to verify Respondent's claim of a schedule conflict are irrelevant to any material issue in this case.