Opinion ID: 1402169
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Second Trial Committee Hearing (April 4, 1968).

Text: Only Mrs. Barba and attorney Dunn testified. Before the trial committee's first hearing on January 5, 1967, the Barbas were still reconciled. Sometime thereafter they again separated. Prior to June 1967 they consulted attorney Dunn, both requesting him to represent Mrs. Barba in an uncontested divorce. He agreed to represent her after being assured that the divorce was uncontested and after receiving written consents from Mr. Barba and from petitioner. Two affidavits were prepared by Dunn for her signature, one dated July 24, the second September 12, 1967. Mrs. Barba testified that they were prepared without her knowledge, that she signed them both in his office on the same day in early September, 1967, that she signed them after Dunn told her that ... Unless I signed ... I could absolutely not have a divorce; that it would mess me up in court, and that I had to sign.... This was to get me off the hook.... She testified that portions of the declarations that repudiated her earlier testimony were not true, and that her testimony at the first trial was accurate. In the affidavit Mrs. Barba stated: I am confident that [petitioner] was not aware of any income tax refund check of mine. At the hearing she explained that she knew this declaration was false but that she signed it because Dunn told her that unless she signed it she could not get a divorce; that nothing had come from this case (disciplinary proceeding), and that she was supposed to apologize for all the trouble that was caused. At the hearing she denied that she had told Dunn that she had falsely testified against petitioner, and she insisted that she had never talked to him about this until September 12 when he showed her the affidavits he had prepared for her to sign. Another statement in the affidavit was I clearly recall that I had a copy of my 1965 I.R.S. return at my home, and I believe that I took it to the office of my attorney, but I do not recall giving it to my attorney himself, and I may have left it with his secretary. She was not given a copy of either affidavit. After the affidavits were signed, Dunn went ahead and obtained the interlocutory decree of divorce for her. The record also shows that petitioner and Dunn were in frequent contact with each other before Mrs. Barba signed these affidavits. The documentary evidence also shows that shortly after petitioner was given notice of an adverse State Bar action [i.e., the trial committee's first report finding petitioner culpable (July 14, 1967) and the disciplinary board's action rejecting petitioner's conditional acceptance (September 1, 1967)] and just before the dates of Mrs. Barba's affidavits, Dunn received numerous calls from petitioner or his counsel. The interlocutory decree was filed September 19, 1967. On September 21, 1967, petitioner filed to reopen the disciplinary proceedings to present new evidence, primarily the recanting of Mrs. Barba's testimony at the first hearing, as evidenced by the affidavit of September 12, 1967. Dunn testified that Mrs. Barba told him she wanted to ease her conscience because of the testimony she had given at the first hearing, that he decided to prepare an affidavit for this purpose, that he called petitioner's counsel and offered to send him a copy of the affidavit, and that he did this without advising his client of his action or obtaining her express consent. Mrs. Barba was still not satisfied, he said, so he then prepared a second more detailed affidavit, and that after she signed it she appeared relaxed and happy for the first time since he represented her. He did not advise his client or get her consent to his sending petitioner's attorney a copy of this second affidavit. Dunn kept no notes of his conversations with Mrs. Barba. Mrs. Barba denied telling him she felt badly about her testimony or that she wanted to set matters right and she denied Dunn's account of her emotional condition. In recommending dismissal of the charges, the committee stated: The probability of truth lies with the testimony of Janice Barba respecting the making of the declaration. It would overtax the credulity of any practicing attorney to accept the testimony of attorney Ernest W. Dunn in respect to the circumstances leading to the making of the declaration. The story was interesting and novel, but was not accepted by the committee. Moreover, the committee believes that the probability of truth lies with the Findings previously filed by the committee which were based upon the earlier testimony of Mrs. Barba. Nevertheless, by executing the Declaration of September 12, 1967, Janice Barba demonstrated her willingness to make a false statement.... The committee therefore concludes that the testimony of Janice Barba cannot be afforded such weight that would constitute `clear and convincing proof' of the previous Findings of the committee, nor of the charges against [Petitioner]. The committee also denied petitioner's application, made after the second trial committee hearing, to set aside order of submission and for permission to present further evidence. This was based on alleged newly discovered evidence, which consisted of affidavits of third persons, directed to impeachment of Mrs. Barba's testimony on an extraneous matter, i.e., the date when she reconciled for a second time with her husband after the interlocutory judgment was entered. On October 18, 1968, counsel reargued the matter on the merits before the disciplinary board. Petitioner did not renew his application to set aside the order of submission and to present further evidence. He contends that the local committee's denial of his application to reopen was proper only because that committee, at the same time, made its findings and recommendations exonerating petitioner, and that when the disciplinary board later rejected such findings and recommendation, and substituted contrary findings and a contrary recommendation, that denial of a further hearing was an abuse of discretion. (1a) Review in this court is sought on the grounds that the findings of the disciplinary board are not supported by the evidence; that the recommendation is against law; and that denial of petitioner's application to reopen for further hearing constituted an abuse of discretion. (2) This court passes upon the sufficiency and weight of the evidence. It is not bound by findings of fact of the local administrative committee or the disciplinary board. Great weight is given, however, to the findings of the committee as to credibility of witnesses and evaluation of conflicting statements, particularly where the findings of the committee and the disciplinary board are in conflict. Under such circumstances this court is ordinarily reluctant to reverse the committee's decision. ( Medoff v. State Bar (1969) 71 Cal.2d 535, 546 [78 Cal. Rptr. 696, 455 P.2d 800].) (1b) The situation presented here is most unusual. It is significant that at its second hearing the local administrative committee stated that it believed the probability of truth lies with the findings previously filed by the committee which were based upon the earlier testimony of Mrs. Barba. The findings previously filed clearly stated that the committee was forced to conclude from the evidence before it, even without consideration of the testimony of Janice Barba, that petitioner had possession of the tax return prior to the preparation of the divorce complaint and was at all times aware of the existence of the claim for a tax refund and the amount thereof, and, therefore, that he had testified falsely before the Committee when he unequivocally denied ever having possession of the return or having awareness of the possible refund. At the second hearing the local administrative committee did not reject Mrs. Barba's explanation of the circumstances under which the affidavits in which she recanted were prepared and it expressly found that the explanation given by attorney Dunn would overtax the credulity of any practicing attorney. Petitioner did not testify. From a consideration of all the evidence this court has determined that, even without consideration of the testimony of Mrs. Barba, petitioner testified falsely before the committee when he unequivocally denied ever having possession of the return or having awareness or interest in the possible refund. It is difficult to believe his assertion that he requested a copy of the W-2 form in order to learn the Barba's income and assets and that he had no interest at that time in the income tax return. He would not get this information from the W-2 form alone. As an experienced attorney he must have appreciated the importance of the tax return. It is an important source of information concerning the financial status of the spouses, their sources of income, interest earned on bank accounts, assets being depreciated, possible tax liability or entitlement to a tax refund, and community assets to be divided. The divorce proceedings were commenced at a time when tax returns were required to be filed and were necessarily of interest in this particular matter. The evidence heretofore discussed indicates that petitioner had knowledge of the existence of the return and of its contents. The evidence was in conflict as to when he received this information. There was evidence that he customarily filed his files chronologically. His photocopy of the B W-2 form was filed below his copy of the complaint and wife's affidavit. Mrs. Cardoza testified that she could not remember the exact date when she prepared the tax return but that it was her custom to prepare them early, that she thought she prepared this one early in March, and that she remembered giving it to Mrs. Barba with the B copy of the W-2 form attached one afternoon when Mrs. Barba told her she needed it for her attorney in the divorce matter. Mrs. Barba's first consultation was with petitioner on March 8; the complaint was filed March 11; and she cashed the refund check May 11. Despite petitioner's copious file notes and messages from his secretary, there was nothing in his file to indicate where he obtained the information contained in the complaint and wife's affidavit which itemized the farm property almost precisely as listed in the depreciation schedule in the income tax return, and the valuations noted on his copy of wife's affidavit were exactly the same as those on the schedule. (3a) After the first trial committee hearing and report petitioner requested a second hearing, one ground being that he wanted to produce newly discovered evidence regarding the lack of staple marks on his W-2 photocopy. The hearing was granted but he submitted no evidence at all on this issue. His counsel did refer to it in his closing argument as if it had some basis in the record. There was none. No opportunity was given to the State Bar for cross-examination or refutation. He now asks this court to take judicial notice of the fact that when a document having staple holes in it is duplicated on a copying machine, the copy will disclose some evidence of such holes. Judicial notice may not be taken of any matter unless authorized or required by law. (Evid. Code, § 452.) (4) This court is compelled to take judicial notice only of facts and propositions of generalized knowledge that are so universally known that they cannot reasonably be the subject of dispute. (Evid. Code, § 451.) If there is any doubt whatever either as to the fact itself or as to its being a matter of common knowledge, evidence should be required. ( Varcoe v. Lee, 180 Cal. 338, 345 [181 P. 223].) (3b) This court may take judicial notice that there are many kinds of copying machines utilizing different processes. In the absence of evidence it may not take judicial notice that a particular photostat was made from an unstapled original. It is noted that petitioner's secretary indicated that there were two copy machines in his office, each using different processes, and that she only believed that she must have made the copy found in his file on one of the machines from the original. It could have been a copy of a copy and thus further removed from the original. It could have had the staples affixed through some of the printing or through the circles on the right-hand edge of the W-2 form, or there could be other reasons why there are no apparent staple marks on his photocopy. No evidence was introduced as to the process by which either photostat was made. Speculation does not take the place of evidence. (5) An attorney is under a duty to present to the local administrative committee and to the board any evidence which he deems is favorable to himself. He may not neglect to do this and then demand in his petition for review either that such evidence be considered by this court or that he be given another hearing before the State Bar. ( Coviello v. State Bar (1955) 45 Cal.2d 57, 65 [286 P.2d 357].) (3c) He failed to produce evidence on this point after requesting and receiving a rehearing. He cannot be heard to complain now. (6) After the second disciplinary hearing petitioner again requested that the proceedings be reopened to produce additional evidence, namely that Mrs. Barba testified falsely at the second hearing when she stated that she was not then reconciled with her husband. Petitioner did not renew his offer to produce this evidence or motion to reopen before the disciplinary board. As an attorney he knew that the board has the right and duty to exercise an independent judgment on the record. He gave the board no opportunity to consider this matter, apparently relying upon their adoption of the committee's recommendation for dismissal. No showing is made that a different result would be probable on retrial if this further evidence had been received and considered by the disciplinary board. (1c) Questions: First. Does the evidence sustain a finding of culpability for which discipline should be imposed? Yes. Knowingly giving false testimony on a material factual issue is a serious breach of basic standards of honesty as well as a violation of an attorney's oath of office and his duties as an attorney. Affirmative representations made with intent to deceive, even though no harm results, are grounds for discipline. ( Scofield v. State Bar (1965) 62 Cal.2d 624, 628 [43 Cal. Rptr. 825, 401 P.2d 217].) (7) Testimony given by an attorney before a disciplinary committee is given under oath or affirmation that he will speak truthfully. Falsely testifying in such proceeding is not only perjury but is a violation of the duty of honesty and integrity imposed upon him as an attorney at law. (8) It is the duty of an attorney to employ, for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to him such means only as are consistent with truth, and never to seek to mislead the judge or any judicial officer by an artifice or false statement of fact or law. (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6068, subd. (d).) The same duty of honesty and not seeking to mislead applies to disciplinary hearings conducted by the State Bar of California. (9) Second. What should the discipline be under the circumstances? Petitioner's conduct was reprehensible and he should be disciplined therefor. This court has noted the evidence going to the impeachment of Mrs. Barba's testimony, however, as well as the mitigating factors noted by the local administrative committee in its original report. From a consideration of all the circumstances it would appear that a public reprimand would be sufficient punishment to petitioner to insure that in the future he will adhere to the rules and principles that are binding upon all members of the bar. This opinion will serve as such public reprimand.