Opinion ID: 1293209
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Appropriateness of the Recommended Discipline

Text: (4) Petitioner contends that the recommended discipline is excessive, since he has recovered from the causes of his misconduct. At the time of the State Bar hearing, however, petitioner was still on probation arising out of his violation of Penal Code section 12025, subdivision (b). He has presented no evidence of rehabilitation in a nonsupervised environment. Petitioner's circumstances warrant some period of actual suspension coupled with a sustained period of supervised probation. Petitioner argues that the recommended discipline constitutes a punitive approach to his conduct leading to his criminal conviction, which he blames on his uncontrolled consumption of liquor. He contends that, as a current member of Alcoholics Anonymous, he is recovered and rehabilitated. Petitioner's misconduct was serious. The circumstances surrounding his conviction demonstrate a pattern of violent conduct arising from his abuse of alcohol and resulting in injury not only to his wife but to a bystander as well. Balanced against that serious behavior is a relatively short period of recovery, during which petitioner has been subject to supervised probation arising from his criminal conviction. Regardless of petitioner's efforts to rehabilitate himself, there has not yet been a sufficient passage of time to determine that these efforts will endure. Under the circumstances of this case, we agree with the review department that a short period of actual suspension and a longer period of probation is necessary to protect the public by providing the necessary assurance that petitioner's recovery is lasting and that he will not again endanger his clients.