Opinion ID: 2379892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Cassidy Matter

Text: Respondent represented Deborah Cassidy in municipal court in August and September of 1999 on a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Respondent engaged in a pattern of procrastination in a straightforward municipal court matter. She failed to resolve the case timely, made multiple last-minute requests for adjournment, repeatedly failed to give the municipal court sufficient advance notice of her inability to attend hearings, and misrepresented that she had received no discovery, when, in fact, she had received at least a portion of it. Respondent also failed to act responsibly in representing her client's interests, which resulted in the issuance of a warrant for her client's arrest. The DRB determined that respondent violated RPC 1.3 (lack of diligence), RPC 3.3(a)(1) (false statement of material fact or law to tribunal), RPC 8.4(c) (misrepresentation), and RPC 8.4(d) (conduct prejudicial to administration of justice).