Opinion ID: 1964843
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: benge's disciplinary record

Text: Benge's disciplinary history began with Board Case No. 11, 1994. That case concerned Benge's representation of an elderly client in a personal injury case. The client lost at the arbitration because Benge failed to put on a case. Benge then failed to file an appeal from the arbitrator's order. The opposing counsel filed a motion to dismiss. Benge failed to respond because he mistakenly believed a demand for trial de novo had been filed. The Superior Court dismissed the case. For over two years after the dismissal, Benge failed to initiate discovery or contact opposing counsel. Benge later discovered that the case had been dismissed and filed a motion to re-open it. By that time, seven and one-half year had passed since the accident and two and one-half years had passed since the dismissal. The Superior Court denied the motion to re-open. In Board Case No. 11, 1994, Benge admitted to violations of Rules 1.1 (lack of competence), 1.3 (lack of diligence), 3.2 (failure to expedite litigation) and 8.1(b) (failure to cooperate in connection with the disciplinary investigation). Those admitted violations resulted in the imposition of a private admonition with conditions, including a two-year period of probation. Benge entered into a conditional admission which was accepted by the Board and approved by this Court on June 29, 1995. The probationary period began on June 29, 1995 and ended on June 29, 1997. During the pendency of that private probation in Board Case No. 11, 1994, Benge engaged in conduct which resulted in four new investigations by the ODC. In Board Case No. 15, 1995, Benge admitted to violating Rule 1.4(a) for his failure to respond to his client's repeated requests for information and documents. In Board Case No. 1, 1996, Benge was charged by the ODC for his failure to comply with the terms of his prior private probation in Board Case No. 11, 1994 and his failure to respond to ODC inquiries. Benge admitted to violations of Board Rule 7(4). In Board Case No. 35, 1996, Benge admitted two violations of Rule 8.1(b), insofar as he had failed to respond to ODC in connection with two separate complaints by clients. In Board Case No. 34, 1996, Benge failed to file a brief on behalf of a client in this Court. Despite one extension of time granted at his request, Benge failed to either file or request a second extension. In addition, Benge failed to respond to the delinquency notice, a notice to show cause, and several communications from the Court. The appeal was dismissed three months after the brief had been due. Prior to filing the appeal, Benge failed to provide information to his client and misinformed his client of the status of the case. After dismissal of the appeal, Benge failed to inform his client that the appeal had been dismissed and that opposing counsel sought costs and fees. Benge admitted to three violations of Rule 1.4(a) (lack of communication with clients). He also admitted violating Rule 8.4(d) (prejudice to the administration of justice). Benge's conditional admissions in all four cases were accepted by the Board. They were approved by this Court on September 18, 1996. Benge was publicly reprimanded and placed on public probation for two years from September 18, 1996 through September 18, 1998.