Opinion ID: 1408147
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: New charges raised at the hearings

Text: Triem argues that the imposition of two new charges against him at the hearing stage of the Lubin/Zorich cases violated his due process rights. Triem asserts that these charges are failure to communicate with his clients and dishonesty before the committee. Despite Triem's characterization of the charges against him, Bar Counsel only pursued and the committee only found violations alleged in the formal petitions. It is true that communication is an element of the charges of neglect and improper retention of money insofar as Triem's action or inaction would not have been improper if authorized by his clients. It is in this respect that Bar Counsel and the committee analyzed Triem's communications with his clients, and not as a separate charge for failure to communicate generally. In analyzing the testimony regarding the existence of exculpatory conversations, the committee concluded that Triem had been dishonest to the committee. At the end of the second hearing the committee notified Triem that it was inclined to believe that Triem had been dishonest in his testimony, see supra note 6. Triem correctly argues that an attorney cannot be made to answer to charges that arise for the first time at the hearing stage. Ruffalo, 390 U.S. at 550-51, 88 S.Ct. at 1225-26. The charges in Ruffalo, however, were based on misconduct that occurred prior to the hearing and the charges were brought solely on the basis of testimony elicited at the hearing. Id. at 549-51, 88 S.Ct. at 1225-26. The charge of dishonesty leveled at Triem did not create unfair surprise during a hearing on past conduct, but rather represented the committee's evaluation of, and response to, Triem's conduct at the hearings. [12] This evaluation is inherent when the committee weighs evidence and the credibility of the witnesses before it. Not only was Triem not unfairly surprised, he was given an opportunity to respond to the committee's evaluation of his testimony. Triem was allowed to put on rebuttal evidence and was instructed to brief the propriety of sanctions for misconduct before the committee. Triem's alleged dishonesty before the committee was not considered as a separate charge subject to independent sanction. Rather, the committee merely took Triem's dishonesty into account as an aggravating factor in determining the proper sanction. [13] The ABA Standards specifically include as an aggravating factor submission of false evidence, false statements, or other deceptive practices during the disciplinary process. Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions § 9.22(f) (1991) (hereinafter ABA Standards ). Therefore, we hold that Triem's dishonesty during the disciplinary process is an aggravating factor which the committee could properly consider in protecting the integrity of the hearing process.