Opinion ID: 481712
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Alternative Avenues

Text: 42 The opinion, in its penultimate phase concedes that a lawyer should not be able to proceed with impunity in real or feigned ignorance of authorities which render his argument meritless, and the opinion acknowledges that Rule 11 is not the only tool available to judges in imposing sanctions on lawyers. P. 1542. There are, the opinion observes, other well-established bar and court ethical proceedings. Id. The court's opinion is confined to the meaning of Rule 11 as it will henceforth be understood in the Ninth Circuit. The court did not address, and could not have addressed except by non-binding dicta, the other rules governing practice in the federal courts. 43 The General Rules of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Rule 110-3, prescribe: 44 Every member of the bar of this court and any attorney permitted to practice in this court under Local rule 110-2 shall be familiar with and comply with the standards of professional conduct required of members of the State Bar of California and contained in the State Bar Act, the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California, and decisions of any court applicable thereto; maintain the respect due courts of justice and judicial officers; perform with the honesty, care, and decorum required for the fair and efficient administration of justice; discharge the obligations owed to his clients and to the judges of the court. 45 A lawyer who misrepresents the law has failed to discharge the obligations owed to the judges of the court. He is subject to sanctions under General Rules 110-6 and 110-7. The difference between those sanctions and the sanctions now made inapplicable by the court is that under Rule 11 the sanctions are mandatory; under the rules of the district court, the sanctions are to be imposed in the sound discretion of the district judge. That discretion can be exercised in this case and in others that will arise. 46 Apart from explicit rules, a federal court has inherent power to award sanctions including counsel fees against a lawyer who has acted in bad faith. Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447 U.S. 752, 766, 100 S.Ct. 2455, 2464, 65 L.Ed.2d 488 (1980). Bad faith may be found not only in the actions that led to the law suit, but also in the conduct of the litigation. Hall v. Cole, 412 U.S. 1, 15, 93 S.Ct. 1943, 1951, 36 L.Ed.2d 702 (1973). It is apparent that when there is an absence of good faith in the presentation of an argument there will be bad faith on the part of the lawyer making the argument. The lawyer is open to sanction under the inherent power of the court. 47 Where a court has applied sanctions on a basis which is subsequently held to be mistaken, and the case is remanded, the court retains the power to award sanctions on a proper basis, such as the inherent power of the court to sanction the bad faith of counsel. Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447 U.S. at 767, 100 S.Ct. at 2464.