Opinion ID: 1759192
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: does the right to effective assistance of counsel attach to disciplinary proceedings under the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment and the sixth amendment to the constitution?

Text: Terrell asserts that because of the quasi-criminal nature of Bar disciplinary proceedings, and the potential loss of property as a result of the imposition of discipline, she should be accorded the same right to effective assistance of counsel as a criminal defendant; citing, Levi v. Mississippi State Bar, 436 So.2d 781 (Miss. 1983), and Netterville v. Mississippi State Bar, 397 So.2d 878 (Miss. 1981). In Netterville, we said that due process is required in Bar disciplinary proceedings to the extent that: (1) the Bar is under a duty to prove by clear and convincing evidence, not merely by a preponderance of the evidence, that the lawyer violated the Rules of Discipline; (2) the lawyer accused of professional misconduct has the right to the names and addresses of the witnesses complaints counsel plans to call; (3) the accused lawyer has the right to call witnesses as well as cross examine witnesses called by the complaints counsel; (4) the accused attorney has the privilege of offering transcripts of witnesses testimony to be included as part of the complaints counsel's report; and, (5) the lawyer being brought before the Tribunal must be given notice and the opportunity to be heard. Id. Netterville and Levi say nothing about a lawyer's right to effective assistance of counsel or, for that matter, a right to appointment of counsel in Bar proceedings. Additionally, in Mississippi State Bar v. Young, 509 So.2d 210 (Miss. 1987), we said: We have repeatedly held that attorneys who are accused in bar disciplinary proceedings have the right to due process of law, Attorney K. v. Mississippi State Bar Association, 491 So.2d 220, 222 (Miss. 1986); Myers v. Mississippi State Bar, 480 So.2d 1080, 1087 (Miss. 1985); Netterville v. Mississippi State Bar, 397 So.2d 878, 883-84 (Miss. 1981), although it is not at all clear that attorneys would be without this right if disciplinary proceedings were regarded as wholly civil in nature. On the other hand there are among the procedural trappings normally attendant upon a criminal trial numerous rights which have no place in bar disciplinary proceedings. For one thing, the attorney has no right to trial by jury. For another, the attorney's guilt need not be established beyond a reasonable doubt, as in criminal cases ... but may be established by that lesser quantum of proof we label clear and convincing evidence. Brumfield v. Mississippi State Bar, 497 So.2d 800, 807 (Miss. 1986); Levi v. Mississippi State Bar, 436 So.2d 781, 783-84 (Miss. 1983). Id. at 212-13. Furthermore, we said in Levi specifically that practicing law is a privilege and not a property right. If we were to hold that a lawyer is entitled to effective assistance of counsel at a Bar disciplinary proceeding, that lawyer would still be required to show that her counsel was in fact ineffective. The test for ineffective assistance of counsel was set forth in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). The Strickland two-pronged test is: (1) whether counsel's performance was deficient, and, if so, (2) whether the deficient performance was prejudicial to the defendant in the sense that our confidence in the correctness of the outcome is undermined. Washington v. State, 620 So.2d 966 (Miss. 1993), quoting Neal v. State, 525 So.2d 1279, 1281 (Miss. 1987). Terrell's counsel, Will Colom (Colom), was not involved in this Bar proceeding until he filed a Motion to Set Aside Entry of Default on September 6, 1991. Prior to that, he and several other lawyers, as members of the Magnolia Bar Association, had come to Terrell's aid, as she was having serious difficulties managing her caseload. Colom and the other lawyers took over many of her cases and paired her with lawyers on virtually every case she had back last fall because she seemed to be in such distress. The Bar's Motion for Default Judgment and Supporting Affidavit was heard by the Tribunal on December 17, 1991. The Bar mailed notice of the hearing to Colom on Oct. 3, 1991. There was apparently some missed communication in Colom's office regarding the hearing date, and neither Colom nor Terrell attended the hearing. Default Judgment was entered on December 17, 1991. Colom then filed a Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment on December 27, 1991, stating that Terrell had obtained help for severe and chronic depression, and that she would acknowledge that her performance as a lawyer had become unacceptable. The motion filed by Colom on behalf of Terrell also pointed out that she had voluntarily embarked upon a program to remedy the cause for her unresponsiveness, poor relationship with lawyers and some clients, and lack of diligence in addressing many professional matters. Notice of Hearing on Terrell's Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment, set for April 29, 1992, was mailed to Colom on February 20, 1992. Terrell did not arrive at the hearing on time. She showed up when it was almost over after counsel for both parties had made their arguments, and just before the Tribunal rendered its verdict. She now complains that Colom was ineffective in his representation of her at the hearing, claiming: (1) he failed to raise lack of personal jurisdiction; (2) that he admitted without Terrell's knowledge, consent or agreement, the allegations of the complaint; (3) that he failed to request a recess or continuance; (4) he failed to request a hearing on the imposition of discipline; (5) that he announced Terrell incapable of practicing law; (6) that he stated untruthfully that she would say the same; (7) that he stated untruthfully that she needed co-counsel on all cases; (8) that he stated Terrell was unable to communicate with attorneys because she took everything personally; (9) that he stated judges were angry with her because she would not appear at hearings; (10) he stated untruthfully that several lawyers had to assist her on virtually all of her cases; (11) he stated untruthfully that she was probably headed toward drug and alcohol addiction; (12) he stated under the prejudicial nature of the existing circumstances that it was not necessary for another hearing; (13) that he failed to address any of the facts contained in the complaint except to say untruthfully the material allegations were admitted; (14) that he failed to prepare for the hearing; (15) he failed to obtain pertinent data concerning his client to present at the hearing, especially in view of his own admission that he had not known Terrell for any length of time. In order for Terrell's assignment to have merit, we must first hold that she is entitled to effective assistance of counsel, then we would have to find that Mr. Colom's performance was deficient, and also find that his performance prejudiced Terrell such that this Court's confidence in the correctness of the Tribunal's denial of Terrell's Motion to Set Aside the Default Judgment is undermined. Washington, Neal, and Strickland. Terrell maintains that most of what Colom represented to the Tribunal was untrue. She does not point to any part of the record to substantiate her allegations that Colom misrepresented any facts to the Tribunal. This Court is left to grapple with Terrell's statements as alleged in her brief, and Colom's statements to the Tribunal. It is her word against his. With regard to Terrell's allegation that Colom failed to request a hearing on imposition of discipline, the record clearly shows that Colom addressed this issue and was rebuffed by the Tribunal. Furthermore, Colom's failure to raise the issue of lack of personal jurisdiction did not prejudice Terrell for the reasons stated in the first assignment of error. Even if we were to find that Colom's performance was deficient, it was not his performance that prejudiced Terrell. Instead, it was her failure to timely show up for the hearing that caused the most damage. It is clear from the record at this hearing that any prejudice to Terrell was created by Terrell. Colom made a plea of mercy to the Tribunal when he was without a client present to assist him. Terrell did not suffer from ineffective assistance of counsel; rather, Colom suffered from ineffective assistance of client. This assignment of error has no merit.