Opinion ID: 2425753
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Determination of Proper Standard of Review

Text: Disciplinary proceedings are neither civil nor criminal but are sui generis, meaning of their own kind. See Procedures of the Ark. Sup.Ct. Regulating Prof. Conduct of Attorneys at Law, Section 1(C); BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY 851 (6th ed.1990). The standard of review that governs appeals from disbarment proceedings is clearly articulated in Section 5(L)(4) of the Procedures of the Arkansas Supreme Court Regulating Professional Conduct of Attorneys at Law: (4) Appeals from any judgment of a Circuit court in a disbarment proceeding shall be heard in accordance with the rules governing appeals in civil cases. These Procedures were originally adopted by the Supreme Court by per curiam order dated July 1 of 1990. They have been amended by per curiam order dated January 8, 1998, and effective January 15, 1998. The language in Section 5(L)(4) is identical in both versions of the Procedures, although Section 5(L)(4) was formerly numbered Section 5(H)(4). Disbarment proceedings are tried by the circuit court without a jury. Procedures, Section 5(K)(1), formerly Section 5(G)(1). Under the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, the standard of review on appeals from bench trials is whether the trial judge's findings were clearly erroneous or clearly against the preponderance of the evidence. See Ark. R. Civ. P 52(a); McQuillan v. Mercedes-Benz Credit Corp., 331 Ark. 242, 961 S.W.2d 729 (1998); Ford Motor Credit Co. v. Ellison, 334 Ark. 357, 974 S.W.2d 464 (1998). A finding is clearly erroneous when, although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. Wade v. Arkansas Dept. of Human Servs., 337 Ark. 353, 990 S.W.2d 509 (1999); RAD-Razorback Ltd. Partnership v. B.G. Coney Co., 289 Ark. 550, 713 S.W.2d 462 (1986). The court must view the evidence in a light most favorable to the appellee, resolving all inferences in favor of the appellee. Id. Disputed facts and determinations of the credibility of witnesses are within the province of the fact-finder. Id. Applying the clearly erroneous standard of review mandated by Section 5(L)(4) of the Procedures, we now consider Mr. Neal's assertion that the trial court erred when it imposed a six-month suspension from the practice of law instead of disbarment.