Opinion ID: 1950812
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the juvenile matter

Text: Petitioner's evidence consisted of the testimony of the Juvenile, Judge Leonard Rubin of the Montgomery County Juvenile Court, the Juvenile's father, ..., and several other witnesses. From this testimony it is apparent to a majority of this panel that the validity of the petitioner's charges with respect to the specifically alleged episodes involving the Juvenile, depends almost entirely upon the unsupported testimony of the Juvenile herself. The witnesses produced by the petitioner to corroborate the Juvenile's evidence either did not, in fact, provide that corroboration or testified in contradiction to some of her assertions and, in fact, in at least two instances tended to corroborate the respondent's version of what occurred. Against this testimony, the respondent produced disinterested witnesses who testified as to the respondent's activities on the day of the hitchhiking episode which made it impossible for the respondent to have been where the petitioner charges him with having been on that day. In addition, the respondent produced the hospital roommate of the Juvenile, again a disinterested witness, whose testimony accounted for nearly all of the time the Juvenile was in her hospital room and who was there when the respondent visited the Juvenile at the times the petitioner charges improper conduct. This witness neither saw nor heard any improper conduct by the respondent. With respect to the episodes occurring at the Juvenile's apartment in August of 1974, the respondent produced a corroborating witness whose testimony supported the respondent's version of the events of that day. Finally, respondent produced witnesses who were acquainted with the Juvenile through the Juvenile Court, and who had dealt with her personally either as social workers or supervisors of a facility at which the Juvenile had stayed. These witnesses testified that the Juvenile was not a truthful person. Without going into particular detail on each and every one of the episodes related and each and every portion of the testimony adduced, suffice it to say that, taking into consideration the patent inconsistencies and discrepancies in the Juvenile's testimony and the lack of corroboration as to many of the material elements of her story, together with the denials and explanations of the respondent corroborated by independent, disinterested witnesses in many particulars, the majority of the panel is not persuaded that the petitioner has proven the specifications charged by the clear and convincing evidence required by the law applicable to disciplinary proceedings. Accordingly, the panel recommends that the charges arising out of the Juvenile's episodes be dismissed. However, notwithstanding this recommendation, the panel cannot leave this matter without commenting on the general impression left by the respondent with regard to the Juvenile's stewardship. Respondent is a young attorney and the complainant was an attractive young girl, mature far beyond her years, who had a history of juvenile difficulties with her family and with the juvenile authorities and whose reputation among those who dealt with her and knew her was one of untruthfulness and unreliability. Against this background, it would appear that the respondent showed an inordinate interest in the Juvenile's personal life and conducted himself in his dealings with her in a grossly offensive manner. His lack of candor when interrogated by the petitioner's grievance committee, his gross and vulgar references and insinuations in the presence of the Juvenile and her friends and even her father, all are indicative of an attitude which hardly bespeaks the standards expected of a member of the bar in dealing with his client or ward. Nevertheless, the petitioner has chosen to limit its charges to the detailed and specific episodes set forth in the petition. No amendments have been proffered either to add further acts or to broaden the allegations to include, more generally, respondent's conduct with the Juvenile. The majority of the panel believes it must make its determination on the basis of the allegations which the respondent has been compelled to answer for and defend against. See Bar Ass'n v. Cockrell, 270 Md. 686 (1974).