Opinion ID: 900607
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Mandel Complaint

Text: [¶ 6.] Mines was accused by acting-U.S. Attorney Robert Mandel (Mandel) of backdating his reply brief in an action before the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mines had signed his Certificate of Service stating that the brief was mailed at Hot Springs on January 4, 1996. The brief, however, was actually mailed at the Smithwick, South Dakota Post Office just before midnight on January 5, 1996 and the proper postmark for the brief, without the alleged backdating, would have been January 6, 1996. Referee concluded that Mines violated Rule 1.1 [4] based upon his lack of competence and Rule 1.3 by failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in matters entrusted to him. The conduct of Mines in this matter was also false and misleading.