Opinion ID: 1515981
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Vacatur Properly Denied [1]

Text: The Petition for Discipline was filed on April 5, 2006, and Fountain's answer was due no later than April 26, 2006. Fountain did not file a timely answer nor did he seek an extension of time to file an answer. Accordingly, on April 27, 2006, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) made a written request that the allegations and charges set forth in the Petition be deemed admitted pursuant to Rule 9(d)(2) of the Delaware Lawyers Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. Fountain did not oppose this request or otherwise respond to it. On May 8, 2006, the Chair of the Panel (the Chair) wrote to the parties advising that the allegations in the Petition were deemed admitted because no answer or request for an extension of time to answer had been filed. On May 26, 2006, Fountain sent a letter to the Chair requesting that the deemed admission be vacated. Fountain stated that he had recently been released from the hospital for treatment of an ulcer. He did not, however, provide the dates or any evidence of his hospitalization, nor did he provide any medical documentation that he was unable to respond to the Petition. Fountain also submitted a proposed Answer. ODC objected to Fountain's request to vacate. On June 5, 2006, the Chair sent a letter denying the request to vacate the deemed admissions. The Chair explained that under Procedural Rule 9(d)(2), the failure to file a timely answer required that the allegations and charges in the Petition be deemed admitted. Specifically, Rule 9(d)(2) states in pertinent part: In the event the Respondent fails to serve an answer within the prescribed time, all of the allegations and charges in the petition shall be deemed admitted, such that the sole remaining issue to be determined by the Board shall be the appropriate disciplinary sanction. (Emphasis added). In addition, the Chair noted that Fountain had not submitted any proof of his hospitalization or other evidence of the health problems which he had cited as the reasons for his failure to file a timely answer. Accordingly, even if the Chair had discretion under Procedural Rule 9(d)(2), the request to vacate would have been denied. On June 16, 2006, Fountain filed a Motion for Reargument in Support of Vacating the Default Judgment. On June 21, 2006, the Chair denied the Motion for Reargument, again explaining that Rule 9(d)(2) used the mandatory word shall and not the permissive word may. In addition, the Chair explained that even if Procedural Rule 9(d)(2) gave the Chair discretion, Fountain had still not submitted any medical evidence supporting his claim that he was unable either to timely answer the Petition or to request an extension. Fountain has filed objections to the Board's Report on the basis of its decision to deny his application for vacatur. We have concluded that Fountain's objections are without merit. The Board's decision to deny Fountain's application for vacatur is supported by the record and is the product of an orderly reasoning process.