Opinion ID: 2264152
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Reciprocal Sanctions

Text: The Maryland Constitution has vested this Court with the power to adopt rules and regulations concerning the practice and procedure in and the administration of the appellate courts and in the other courts of this state. Md. Const art. IV, § 18(a). Pursuant to that power this Court adopted Maryland Rule 16-773 governing reciprocal discipline. That rule provides in pertinent part: (e) Exceptional circumstances. Reciprocal discipline shall not be ordered if Bar Counsel or the attorney demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that: . . . (3) the imposition of corresponding discipline would result in grave injustice; [or] (4) the conduct established does not constitute misconduct in this State or it warrants substantially different discipline in this State In determining what constitutes grave injustice or if the conduct warrants substantially different discipline in this State we turn to our reciprocal discipline cases. It is a well established principle in this State that this Court is inclined, but not required, to impose the same sanction as that imposed by the state in which the misconduct occurred. We are required to assess for ourselves the propriety of the sanction imposed by the other jurisdiction and that recommended by the Commission. Scroggs, 387 Md. at 254, 874 A.2d at 995 (citations omitted); see also Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Steinberg, 385 Md. 696, 704 n. 9, 870 A.2d 603, 608 n. 9 (2005) (stating that `[w]e are prone, but not required, to impose the same sanction') (citations omitted); Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 57, 838 A.2d at 1246; Cafferty, 376 Md. at 727, 831 A.2d at 1058 (stating that [w]e tend to, but are not required to, impose the same sanction) (citations omitted); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Roberson, 373 Md. 328, 355, 818 A.2d 1059, 1076 (2003); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. McCoy, 369 Md. 226, 236, 798 A.2d 1132, 1137-38 (2002) (stating that [t]his Court has often imposed sanctions, in reciprocal discipline cases, of facially equal severity to those imposed by a sister state. We have pointed out, however, that there is no requirement that this should be done) (citations omitted); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Ruffin, 369 Md. 238, 253, 798 A.2d 1139, 1148 (2002); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Dechowitz, 358 Md. 184, 192, 747 A.2d 657, 661 (2000); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Richardson, 350 Md. 354, 371, 712 A.2d 525, 533 (1998); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Sabghir, 350 Md. 67, 83, 710 A.2d 926, 934 (1998); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Gittens, 346 Md. 316, 325, 697 A.2d 83, 88 (1997); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Willcher, 340 Md. 217, 221-22, 665 A.2d 1059, 1061 (1995); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Saul, 337 Md. 258, 267, 653 A.2d 430, 434 (1995). The fact that we are inclined, prone, or tend to and often impose the same sanction is not determinative in this case. The explicit reluctance of the Court to adopt a blanket rule of reciprocity provides that we must look at each case individually and decide whether to deviate from the original jurisdiction's sanction, and in this case we do so. In most reciprocal discipline cases, we have held that, ordinarily, when the purpose for the discipline in the original jurisdiction is congruent with ours, we follow the original jurisdiction's sanction. In Maryland [t]he purpose of the sanction imposed on an attorney following disciplinary proceedings is to protect the public rather than to punish the attorney.... Steinberg, 385 Md. at 703, 870 A.2d at 607; Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Sperling, 380 Md. 180, 191, 844 A.2d 397, 404 (2004); Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 58, 838 A.2d at 1246; Cafferty, 376 Md. at 727, 831 A.2d at 1059; Roberson, 373 Md. at 356, 818 A.2d at 1076; Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. DiCicco, 369 Md. 662, 686, 802 A.2d 1014, 1027 (2002); McCoy, 369 Md. at 237, 798 A.2d at 1138; Ruffin, 369 Md. at 254, 798 A.2d at 1148; Dechowitz, 358 Md. at 192, 747 A.2d at 661; White, 354 Md. at 365, 731 A.2d at 458; Gittens, 346 Md. at 325, 697 A.2d 83, 88 (1997). We often find that most jurisdictions have the same purpose and yield to their determinations because they do not view the misconduct as of any lesser importance than we do. See Steinberg, 385 Md. at 704 n. 9, 870 A.2d at 608 n. 9; Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 58, 838 A.2d at 1246; Cafferty, 376 Md. at 727, 831 A.2d at 1059. It is our duty, however, to ensure that this purpose is properly served. In upholding that duty `we have recognized that the public interest is served when this Court imposes a sanction which demonstrates to members of the legal profession the type of conduct that will not be tolerated.... Moreover, such a sanction represents the fulfillment by this Court of its responsibility to insist upon the maintenance of the integrity of the bar and to prevent the transgression of an individual lawyer from bringing its image into disrepute. ... Therefore, the public interest is served when sanctions designed to effect general and specific deterrence are imposed on an attorney who violates the disciplinary rules....' Sperling, 380 Md. at 191, 844 A.2d at 404 (quoting Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Myers, 333 Md. 440, 447, 635 A.2d 1315, 1318 (1994)); see also White, 354 Md. at 365, 731 A.2d at 458. In Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Parsons, 310 Md. 132, 142, 527 A.2d 325, 330 (1987) this Court stated: When the Court considers the appropriate sanction in a case of reciprocal discipline, we look not only to the sanction imposed by the other jurisdiction but to our own cases as well. The sanction will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each case, but with a view toward consistent dispositions for similar misconduct. This standard is in agreement with our duty to protect the public, gives appropriate deference to our sister jurisdictions and ensures that every member of the Maryland Bar is subject to the same sanctions for similar conduct. Although, a view toward consistent dispositions for similar misconduct [8] is an important part of this equation, a proper review of our own cases is just as important in order to ensure that all members of the Maryland Bar are subject to the same standards. It is conceivable that adopting a strict reciprocal discipline policy, in some instances, would result in grossly unfair results and might encourage some Maryland attorneys to turn themselves in to the disciplinary authorities of other jurisdictions where they are a member of the bar, to avoid the results of direct action by Maryland's processes. In reciprocal discipline cases where we impose the original jurisdiction's sanction, we usually find that the same discipline would be given in Maryland. In Willcher, for example, an attorney was appointed to represent an indigent defendant. Willcher, 340 Md. at 220, 665 A.2d at 1060. The attorney demanded that the defendant pay $1,500.00 for the representation. Such conduct was prohibited in the District of Columbia and as a result he was disbarred. In that case, we agreed with the District of Columbia that such conduct constituted a fraud upon the indigent client and the judicial system and we disbarred the attorney stating that [t]his Court has consistently stated that offenses infected with fraud, deceit, and dishonesty will result in disbarment in the absence of evidence of compelling reasons to the contrary. Id. at 222, 665 A.2d at 1061. In cases involving theft or misappropriation of client funds we have reciprocally disbarred attorneys after finding that such conduct results on disbarment in this State. Roberson, 373 Md. at 357, 818 A.2d at 1077; Cafferty, 376 Md. at 728, 831 A.2d at 1059. See also Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Moore, 301 Md. 169, 171, 482 A.2d 497, 498 (1984) (holding that disbarment, the sanction imposed in the District of Columbia, was the appropriate sanction for misappropriation of client funds for Maryland attorneys); Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Bettis, 305 Md. 452, 455, 505 A.2d 492, 493 (1986) (holding that, in the absence of extenuating circumstances, disbarment is the appropriate sanction for misappropriation of funds where the District of Columbia had imposed the same sanction). In some cases, on the other hand, we have yielded to the original jurisdiction when we might have imposed a different sanction had the proceedings originated in this jurisdiction. See Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 59, 838 A.2d at 1247; Gittens, 346 Md. at 327, 697 A.2d at 88-89. In Ayres-Fountain, an attorney filed Certificates of Compliance with the Delaware Supreme Court. The Certificates falsely stated that the attorney had timely filed and paid all taxes. The attorney was suspended from the practice of law in Delaware. In applying the same sanction imposed by the Delaware court we held that where a respondent's most serious misconduct involves misrepresentations, and those misrepresentations are to the Supreme Court of the State in which he or she principally practices and that sanctioned him or her, it ordinarily is appropriate to defer to that court, notwithstanding that the sanction it imposed is not identical to the one that may have been imposed by this Court were the same conduct to have occurred in this State. Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 59, 838 A.2d at 1247. In another case, an attorney convicted for the theft of $88,837.92 from client's funds entrusted to him was suspended by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Gittens, 346 Md. at 322, 697 A.2d at 86. [9] We imposed the same sanction acknowledging that we may have decided differently as the original jurisdiction had the misconduct occurred in Maryland. Id. at 327, 697 A.2d at 89. In adopting the District of Columbia's sanction, we said: There is no basis for supposing that the District of Columbia treats these matters less seriously or wholly inconsistently with the manner exercised by this Court. On the contrary, deference should be paid to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals as demonstrated by the fact that it is loath to mitigate misconduct on the basis of drug or other substance addiction or abuse. Id. at 327, 697 A.2d at 88. We did not provide any more guidance as to which factors were considered by the Court in making that determination. Since that time, however, we have become much less lenient towards any misconduct involving theft, misappropriation, fraud, or deceit. It is appropriate to address some occasions where we have declined to follow the original jurisdiction's sanction. In Parsons, 310 Md. at 142, 527 A.2d at 330, an older 1987 case, two attorneys were suspended from practice in the District of Columbia for six months. We imposed a less severe sanction finding that, in Maryland, their conduct only warranted a 90-day suspension. Id. The attorneys in that case forged [10] a client's signature on a complaint for divorce, they then notarized the complaint and filed it with the court in the District of Columbia. The Court did not follow the District of Columbia's sanction because a Maryland case on point and decided a year earlier, sanctioned such conduct with only a 90-day suspension. [11] When the conduct is more serious, we sometimes have not followed the original jurisdiction and have imposed more severe sanctions. In a post Gittens case, Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Dechowitz, 358 Md. 184, 747 A.2d 657 (2000) (per curiam), the Supreme Court of California suspended an attorney when he was convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Id. at 191, 747 A.2d at 660. We found that such conduct is grounds for disbarment in this State and declined to follow California's sanction. Id. In another post Gittens case, an attorney, among other infractions, gave false testimony under oath. White, 354 Md. at 367, 731 A.2d at 459. The United States District Court for the District of Maryland suspended Ms. White indefinitely and Bar Counsel filed a petition for reciprocal discipline. Id. at 351, 731 A.2d at 450. We found that giving false testimony is so serious in nature that it often warrants disbarment. Id. at 367, 731 A.2d at 459. We declined to impose an indefinite suspension, as imposed by the original jurisdiction, and found that disbarment was the appropriate sanction due to the serious nature of the offense. Id. As these cases illustrate, although we usually do not deviate from the original jurisdiction's sanction, we will do so when the conduct involved is of such nature that it would not be tolerated from any member of the Bar in this State if the conduct occurred here. As a result we now turn to the nature of the respondent's misconduct and why it leads to disbarment.