Opinion ID: 1292667
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Petitioner's Criminal Convictions.

Text: On February 26, 1986, petitioner was charged in a thirteen-count misdemeanor complaint with four counts of having violated Penal Code section 459 (burglary); four counts of having violated Penal Code section 487, subdivision 1 (grand theft); four counts of having violated Penal Code section 484 (larceny); and one count of having violated Penal Code section 476a, subdivision (a) (passing checks issued on insufficient funds). Petitioner pleaded nolo contendere to a misdemeanor violation of Penal Code section 476a, subdivision (a) (passing a check on insufficient funds). Petitioner stipulated that he purchased a television set from a Sears store and paid for it by a check drawn on a clients fund account at First Interstate Bank. At the time petitioner issued the check, the account had been closed for some time. Petitioner later purchased another television set from a different Sears store and paid for it by check drawn on that same closed clients trust account. He then returned the television set and received a cash refund of $425.99. Petitioner purchased another television set with another check drawn on the same closed clients fund account. However, law enforcement officials were present, observed the entire transaction and arrested him. After the plea, the court sentenced petitioner to 120 days in county jail, with 60 days' credit for time served. The court further placed petitioner on probation for a period of three years, subject to certain conditions including full restitution to the store. [2] On February 11, 1987, after finality of the judgment of conviction, we ordered that petitioner be suspended from the practice of law pending final disposition of the disciplinary proceedings. We referred the matter to the State Bar Court for a hearing, report and recommendation as to the degree of discipline to be imposed.
On February 12, 1986, petitioner pled nolo contendere and was convicted of having violated (1) Penal Code section 484f, a crime involving moral turpitude, in that he did willfully and unlawfully, with the intent to defraud, sign the name of another person to a credit card slip; and (2) Health and Safety Code section 11550, in that he did willfully and unlawfully use and come under the influence of a controlled substance. On February 12, 1986, petitioner was placed on a diversion program for 36 months on conditions that required him to abstain from the use or possession of narcotics, dangerous or restricted drugs or associated paraphernalia; to stay away from places where drug users congregated; to cooperate with his probation officer in a plan for curbing his drug abuse; and to obey all rules and orders of the court. On February 3, 1987, a notice of lack of appeal was filed with the State Bar Court and transmitted to us. By order filed on April 15, 1987, effective May 15, 1987, this court ordered that petitioner, having violated Penal Code section 484f, a crime involving moral turpitude, be suspended from the practice of law pending disposition of the disciplinary proceedings. We referred the matter of petitioner's criminal conviction to the State Bar for hearing, report and recommendation as to the degree of discipline to be imposed.
In March 6, 1986, petitioner was charged in a criminal information filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court with five felony counts of having violated Penal Code section 476a, subdivision (a) (passing checks issued on nonsufficient funds) and one count of having violated Penal Code section 487, subdivision 1 (grand theft). From December 1984 through November 1985, petitioner issued approximately 41 checks, all of which were in the amount of $50 and made payable to Cash. All checks were drawn against an account at the Los Angeles County Civic Center Credit Union, which account did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks. Petitioner cashed all of the checks at various times at branches of the Security Pacific Bank, knowing that when he cashed the checks, there were insufficient funds in his account to cover the checks. [3] On June 3, 1986, petitioner pled guilty to all six counts set forth in the information. Petitioner was sentenced to 114 days in the county jail, with 114 days' credit for time served, and was placed on probation for a period of 5 years subject to conditions that included restitution and continued attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. On October 28, 1987, a notice of lack of appeal was filed with the State Bar Court and transmitted to this court. On January 14, 1987, we referred the matter of petitioner's criminal conviction to the State Bar for a hearing, report and recommendation as to the degree of discipline to be imposed. In sum, petitioner's criminal record indicates that petitioner has been convicted of violations of Penal Code section 487, subdivision 1 (grand theft); Penal Code section 476a, subdivision (a) (issuance of check on insufficient funds); Penal Code section 484f (unlawful use of a credit card); and Health and Safety Code section 11550 (being under the influence of a controlled substance).