Opinion ID: 2582502
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Kansas Disciplinary Proceeding

Text: Respondent's home address and his last registration address with the Clerk of the Court of the Appellate Courts of Kansas is in Tucson, Arizona. On April 12, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator sent a letter to Respondent at that address, informing him that the review committee of the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys found probable cause to believe that Respondent had violated the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct. The letter was returned because the forwarding order had expired. On May 11, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator filed a formal complaint against Respondent. The Disciplinary Administrator sent to Respondent at his office address, by certified United States mail and by regular United States mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the formal complaint and a notice of hearing. The packages were returned to the Disciplinary Administrator by the United States Postal Service because the address did not contain a suite number. Additionally, on May 11, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator sent Respondent a copy of the formal complaint and the notice of hearing to Respondent's home address. The package was returned to the Disciplinary Administrator after delivery had been attempted. Before October 20, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator discovered that the service of the formal complaint and notice of hearing was inadequate, as it failed to include the suite number, which was included in the Respondent's current registration address. Accordingly, the Disciplinary Administrator contacted the hearing panel and requested that the matter be continued to allow time to obtain adequate service. The panel granted the Disciplinary Administrator's request for a continuance, and the hearing on the formal complaint was scheduled for December 4, 2000. On September 26, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator sent Respondent a copy of the formal complaint and the notice of hearing, by certified United States mail and by regular United States mail, postage prepaid, to his current registration address. The packages were returned to the Disciplinary Administrator and marked unknown at this address. On September 26, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator sent to Respondent at his home address a copy of the formal complaint and notice of hearing by certified United States mail, postage prepaid. The package was returned to the Disciplinary Administrator marked unclaimed. The package was marked with an additional address for Respondent. After receiving the additional address, the Disciplinary Administrator sent Respondent a copy of the formal complaint and notice of hearing by both certified mail and regular United States mail. The certified package was returned to the Disciplinary Administrator marked unclaimed, and the package sent by regular mail was not returned to the Disciplinary Administrator. Respondent failed to file an answer to the formal complaint. The Respondent failed to appear at the hearing on the formal complaint. During the disciplinary hearing, the hearing panel asked the Disciplinary Administrator to inquire of the Colorado disciplinary authorities whether Respondent had sought reinstatement to the practice of law in the state of Colorado. On December 5, 2000, the Disciplinary Administrator sent a letter to the panel stating that Respondent had not applied for reinstatement to the practice of law in Colorado.