Opinion ID: 1632767
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: special procedure

Text: The most visible of the special disciplinary sections [6] and the focus of the present appeal is 16.17. As amended in September, 1972, it reads: 16.17 SUSPENSION; CONVICTION OF A CRIME. Any attorney convicted of a felony, or convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of one year or more, or convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or sentenced after a plea of nolo contendere in connection with any of the foregoing, may, upon such conviction or sentence, be suspended by the Board and he shall thereupon cease to practice law. The Board shall file and serve such order the same as set forth for other orders of discipline. Upon a pardon the Board may, and upon a reversal of the conviction the Board shall, enter its order to vacate the suspension. Thereupon, the name of the person shall be returned to the roster of attorneys and counselors at law of this State. The Board shall file and serve such order the same as set forth for orders of discipline. There are no committee notes available on the intent of the draftsmen of this section and the respective parties have presented us with disparate interpretations of its purpose. The State Bar Grievance Board urges that we follow its administrative interpretation of this section which allows summary suspension of attorneys convicted of serious crimes. In reply, respondent argues that 16.17 does not allow the Board to dispense with the hearing procedures that are required in the normal disciplinary case. Respondent reads the section as strictly evidentiary, relating to the manner of proof of alleged misconduct within Rule 15, § 2(5). (Formerly Rule 14, § 2[5].) For the reasons stated below, without categorizing 16.17 as purely evidentiary, we find that a full hearing is a necessary part of disciplinary action under that rule. Rule 16.17 raises significant questions with respect to the mechanics of implementation. Unlike the normal procedure previously outlined, 16.17 does not explicitly state the necessary steps which the Board must follow in imposing suspension. This explicit omission does not mean that the Board may act in a summary manner. The convicted attorney must be given an opportunity to explain in detail those mitigating factors and circumstances which might cause the Board not to exercise its discretionary power to act under this section. Without such a hearing and individualized judgment, the discretion of the Board in this context has no substantial basis upon which to stand. Cf. In re Kapcia, 389 Mich 306, 314 (1973). Under the existing rules there is no place to look for guidance as to an appropriate procedure other than the normal procedure heretofore discussed. We conclude therefore that the individual hearing under 16.17 must, as in a normal proceeding, be held before a hearing panel in accordance with the procedures as set forth in 16.8, 16.10, 16.11 and 16.13. Such a hearing may be initiated by the Administrator or by any concerned person. 16.4(8); 16.6; 16.7. After the record is made before the hearing panel and its decision is rendered, review may be had before the Board. 16.14; 16.15. To adopt the Board's administrative interpretation of 16.17 allowing the initial hearings to be held before the Board on the order to show cause would create an artificial set of procedures unauthorized under the State Bar Rules. Rules 16.14 and 16.15, which describe the procedures on order to show cause, contemplate Board action only after a hearing held before a hearing panel. Likewise, 16.8, 16.13 and 16.22 appear to make the Board a review body only, restricting fact-finding to the hearing panel. In holding that disciplinary action instituted against an attorney convicted of a crime within 16.17 may not be summarily imposed, we do not find 16.17 without an important expediting function with respect to protection of the public, courts, and the legal profession. 16.33(d). The function of 16.17 is to relieve the Administrator of the burden of establishing actionable misconduct under Rule 15, § 2(5), against an attorney convicted of a serious crime. Rule 16.17 allows the Administrator to satisfy the burden of proof, a preponderance of the evidence, required under 16.13 by placing before the hearing panel proper evidence of a final conviction. When such a conviction is properly placed in evidence, the hearing panel will consider it, along with all other relevant evidence offered by the parties to the hearing, in reaching its decision. If it finds discipline warranted, it shall enter its order accordingly relying on the proof of conviction, undiminished by convincing rebuttal evidence with respect to mitigation, as a sufficient basis for action. If, however, it finds that disciplinary action should not be taken based upon respondent's showing in mitigation, it may so enter its order. After the hearing panel has served its order, any party may follow the normal appeals procedure. The Board may issue a stay of discipline under 16.13. Any proper party may seek review under 16.14 and the Board shall issue the required order to show cause before the State Bar Grievance Board as required by 16.15. After this latter hearing, and upon consideration of the whole record, the Board will either confirm, amend, reverse, or nullify the order of the hearing panel, or remand for additional fact-finding. 16.15; 16.22. Appeal to the Supreme Court is explicitly made available after use of these special procedures. 16.23.