Opinion ID: 145225
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: introduction

Text: By Order dated April 29, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (the Court's Order) referred Theodore Cox to this Committee, for investigation of his conduct before the Court and preparation of a report on whether he should be subject to disciplinary or other corrective measures. Cox is a very active immigration practitioner, concentrating on Chinese asylum claims, with approximately] 50 active circuit court cases,''90% of them in the Second Circuit. Cox was referred to this Committee after defaulting twice in Liang Chen v. INS, No. 02-4838-ag-first, by failing to file a brief in compliance with the scheduling order and then by failing to timely request reinstatement under the terms of a stipulation of dismissal. The Court's Order raises several other areas of concern about his conduct, however, including (1) failing to comply with scheduling orders in two other casl':-s (Jin Hua Liu v. BCIS, 03-4640-ag, and Yu Fang Zhang v. BeIS, 03-4586-ag), (2) filing false affidavits of service in one of those cases (.lin Hua Liu), (3) filing a stipUlation of withdrawal without his client's authorization in a third case (Keita v. BClS, 05-4606-ag), and (4) failing to file a timely petition for review in a fourth case (Xai Mei Liu v. Mukasey, 07-] 663-ag). In addition, the Committee learned of two other pending concerns, including (5) according to a BIAjudge, filing repetitive motions in front of the BIA in a fifth case, and (6) missing a court date, according to a complaint by replacement counsel in a sixth case. As a result of his misconduct in Jin Hua Liu v. BClS, 03-4640-ag (failure to file a brief in compliance with the scheduling order and filing false affidavits of service), in August 2005, Cox was sanctioned by this Court, which imposed monetary sanctions and in October 2005 appointed a special master to oversee his practice. The Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department also privately reprimanded Cox for the same, as well as additional, behavior in this Court. During the special master's appointment, in March 2006, Cox was fined $1000 by 2 this Court for filing a stipulation of withdrawal without the client's authorization (Keita) and $3000 for failing to comply with a scheduling order in another case (Xai Me; Liu). Based on clear and convincing evidence, the Committee concludes that Cox has committed misconduct and that his misconduct warrants a sanction. The Committee recommends that Cox be publicly reprimanded. In addition, Cox should be required, in connection with his practice in any federal court in the Second Circuit or in any federal administrative agency whose action is subject to the Second Circuit's review, to submit to the Committee sworn statements identifying under oath each and every instance during each of the four reporting periods described below in which (1) a submission is not filed or filed out oftime; (2) an application is made for pennission to make a late filing only after the due date has passed; or (3) false affidavits of service have been filed. The following constitutes the Committee's report and recommendation to impose discipline on Cox.