Opinion ID: 2379892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Hillenbrand Matter

Text: In November 1997, respondent began representing Richard Hillenbrand on a disorderly persons offense in municipal court. After he was found guilty, Hillenbrand retained respondent to file an appeal de novo in the Superior Court. Hillenbrand gave respondent $500 in payment for the cost of the trial transcript. The municipal court warned respondent on four separate occasions that the transcript payment was due; nonetheless, respondent failed to remit payment. As a result of respondent's inexplicable conduct, the appeal was dismissed. After reinstatement of the appeal, respondent was given an extension of time in which to file a brief, and yet she still failed to do so in a timely fashion, resulting in a second dismissal. The DRB found that [a]t every turn, despite numerous chances to correct her own deficient representation, respondent continuously `dropped the ball,' in this straightforward municipal court appeal. The DRB determined that respondent violated RPC 1.3 (lack of diligence).
On May 25, 2004, the DRB recommended a three-month suspension as a result of respondent's violation of multiple Rules of Professional Conduct in two separate matters. Those disciplinary cases were brought before the DRB on a certification of default filed by the Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE). Due to respondent's failure to file an answer in response to the OAE's complaint, the allegations in the disciplinary complaint were deemed admitted under Rule 1:20-4(f).