Opinion ID: 1442152
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: conditions of probation imposed by trial panel

Text: The Trial Panel imposed a 60-day suspension on the accused but stayed the execution of the suspension and placed him on probation for two years. In general, the conditions required the accused to receive professional office practice and management counseling (with special emphasis on his docket control and client relations systems), to take successfully the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and to complete a course in stress management. The Trial Panel, in its written opinion, explained its rationale for the particular conditions as follows: In imposing these sanctions we wish to urge that the accused review his case load and availability to meet the needs of his clientele. It is essential that the accused maintain a competent office staff to supervise the details of his practice. It is the impression of the trial panel that the accused has stretched himself beyond his capacity to adequately service his large bankruptcy practice. The accused must give thought to either cutting back upon his case load, or hiring additional staff to give the public the service to which they are entitled. It is our further observation that the accused is suffering from a very heavy work burden causing him a great deal of stress. The stress in turn is causing friction between the accused, his clients, and the Oregon State Bar. The accused claims that the conditions of probation are ambiguous and not related to the disciplinary rules that the Trial Panel found the accused to have violated. In its brief before this court, the Bar acknowledged that the conditions were imprecise and would be difficult to administer. Upon reviewing the record of the proceeding in this case, involving three days of hearings, including testimony from eight witnesses and introduction of 43 exhibits, it is apparent that the Trial Panel attempted to fashion conditions of probation that would address certain troublesome practices of the accused. Though the actions of the Trial Panel are understandable, perhaps laudable, the Trial Panel's probationary conditions do not track the charges of which they found the accused guilty, and, at least in part, are inappropriate. See In re Hereford, 306 Or. 69, 76, 756 P.2d 30 (1988). The conditions of probation are withdrawn.