Opinion ID: 2054193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Complaint of Alvin McArthur

Text: In this exception Respondent attempts to shift the blame to Mr. McArthur, alleging that he was unable to contact McArthur and therefore could take no action on the case without first consulting his client. This exception is overruled, as there was ample evidence to support the contrary finding. Respondent's claim that he was unable to contact Mr. McArthur is contradicted by the McArthurs' detailed testimony about their numerous unsuccessful attempts to communicate with Respondent. Mr. Dorsey and the McArthurs had communicated with Respondent and were expecting him to proceed with the case. Judge Jacobson's findings are supported by clear and convincing evidence. Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. Goldsborough, 330 Md. 342, 356, 624 A.2d 503, 509 (1993) (When factual findings are in dispute, we will give deference to a hearing judge's findings unless they are clearly erroneous, giving due regard to the trial court's opportunity to assess the credibility of the witnesses). Respondent also excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that the McArthurs tried but were unsuccessful in contacting him. Since there was clear and convincing evidence to support that finding, the exception is overruled. Respondent's next exception is that throughout the representation, McArthur never paid Respondent and acted as if Dorsey were his lawyer. Once an attorney-client relationship is established, however, a lawyer owes duties to the client regardless of whether the client pays him. If Respondent felt that he was not getting the cooperation necessary to fulfill his duties, he should have moved to strike his appearance. Instead, Respondent stayed in the case and did nothing, thereby prejudicing his client. Respondent's final exception goes to all four complaints and relates to his substance abuse problem. Respondent produced evidence regarding his use of an addiction to cocaine during the period of his representation of the Complainants in an effort to mitigate his conduct. Respondent claims that his substance abuse caused his professional misconduct, and that Judge Jacobson erred in finding to the contrary. After reviewing all of the evidence, Judge Jacobson was not persuaded by a preponderance of the evidence that Respondent's cocaine addiction was the substantial cause of his misconduct. Specifically, Judge Jacobson found: Respondent consumed the drug in various amounts ranging from daily use to several times a week. It is clear that Respondent is addicted to cocaine and that it did affect his performance as an attorney. However, the causal relationship between Respondent's misconduct and his drug use is unclear and does not persuade this Court by a preponderance of the evidence that drug abuse was a substantial or precipitating cause of the professional misconduct. The Respondent suffers from an underlying mental state that can be termed dysfunctional. This diagnosis is supported in part by the fact that he continued to use cocaine well past the filing of the complaints against him. To that extent, this Court is not convinced that the misconduct was solely caused by the Respondent's use of the controlled substance. At the hearing, Judge Jacobson heard conflicting expert testimony from two psychiatrists who had previously examined Respondent. Maxie T. Collier, M.D. testified that Respondent's substance abuse was the cause of his misconduct, but Christiane Tellefsen, M.D. testified that it was not the cause. A trial judge is free to judge the weight to be given an expert's opinion and to reject or disbelieve an expert's opinion. Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. Nothstein, 300 Md. 667, 684, 480 A.2d 807, 816 (1984). The trial court's finding should not be disturbed unless it is clearly erroneous. Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. Collins, 295 Md. 532, 548, 457 A.2d 1134, 1142 (1983). There was testimony from both psychiatrists that Respondent's cocaine abuse impaired his ability to practice law. This, however, is not the same as saying that cocaine abuse caused him to lie, steal or neglect his clients. Dr. Tellefsen testified that drug use alone does not prevent someone from understanding the difference between truth and falsity. She further testified that Respondent's condition would not impair his understanding that he was withdrawing money from an escrow account, nor his understanding that the money he was withdrawing was not his. Because there was ample evidence to support Judge Jacobson's factual finding that Respondent's drug abuse did not cause his misconduct, we find that the Judge was not clearly erroneous and therefore overrule this exception. Having made factual findings and having rejected Respondent's claim of mitigating circumstances, Judge Jacobson concluded that Respondent violated Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), 1.15(a), 3.3(a)(1), and 8.4(b) and (c). He also concluded that Respondent violated Md.Code (1989), § 10-306 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, and Rule BU9 of the Maryland Rules of Procedure. We agree with Judge Jacobson's conclusions. Having determined that numerous violations have occurred, we turn now to the appropriate sanction to be imposed. Although mindful that Respondent has been adjudged guilty of incompetence, neglect, misrepresentation, failure to communicate with his client and commingling of funds, we emphasize the sanction that will be imposed for the misappropriation of client funds, as this is the most egregious of his violations. We have said many times that misappropriation of funds by an attorney is an act infected with deceit and dishonesty and ordinarily will result in disbarment in the absence of compelling extenuating circumstances justifying a lesser sanction. Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. White, 328 Md. 412, 417, 614 A.2d 955, 958 (1992); Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. Bakas, 323 Md. 395, 403, 593 A.2d 1087, 1091 (1991); Attorney Griev. Comm'n v. Ezrin, 312 Md. 603, 608-09, 541 A.2d 966, 969 (1988). While substance abuse can in certain cases justify a sanction less than disbarment, Respondent's addiction to cocaine in this case does not represent a compelling, extenuating circumstance justifying a more lenient sanction. We have said that a sanction less severe than disbarment is not warranted absent evidence that the addiction, to a substantial extent, was the responsible, precipitating and root cause of the misappropriation. White, supra, 328 Md. at 418-20, 614 A.2d at 959. Because we sustain Judge Jacobson's finding that Respondent has not proven by a preponderance of the evidence that his drug addiction was the cause of his misconduct, we find a lack of compelling, extenuating circumstances. Accordingly, we shall order that Joseph Emmanuel Williams be disbarred and that his name be stricken from the rolls of those authorized to practice law in this State. IT IS SO ORDERED; RESPONDENT SHALL PAY ALL COSTS AS TAXED BY THE CLERK OF THIS COURT, INCLUDING COSTS OF ALL TRANSCRIPTS, PURSUANT TO MARYLAND RULE BV15 c, FOR WHICH SUM JUDGMENT IS ENTERED IN FAVOR OF THE ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMISSION AGAINST JOSEPH EMANNUEL WILLIAMS. ELDRIDGE, CHASANOW and BELL, JJ., would impose an indefinite suspension rather than disbarment as the appropriate sanction.