Court Opinion

ID: 9748100
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 15:51:59.468982+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:31.627800
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by BELL, C.J.
For the reasons stated in my dissents in Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Weiss, 389 Md. 531, 556-569, 886 A.2d 606, 620-628 (2005) and Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Whitehead, 390 Md. 663, 684-696, 890 A.2d 751, 763-771 (2006), I dissent from the majority’s refusal to impose reciprocal discipline in this case. If it were not crystal clear from the majority opinions in the aforementioned cases, this case unmistakably confirms the accuracy of the observations I made in each case, that the majority does not ascribe full value or meaning to Maryland Rule 16-773,1 no longer reading it as requiring that, in a *66reciprocal discipline case, the discipline imposed by this Court correspond, or be equivalent, to that imposed by the initiating jurisdiction. See Blacks Law Dictionary 1384 (9th ed.2009) (defining “reciprocal” to mean “directed to each toward the other or others;----3. Corresponding; equivalent .... ”); see also Whitehead, 390 Md. at 689, 890 A.2d at 766 (citing Concise Oxford Dictionary, (9th ed.1995) (defining “corresponding” to mean “to be analogous or similar; to agree in amount, position, etc.; to be in harmony or agreement.”)). In Weiss, rejecting the majority’s conclusion that a result in the originating jurisdiction different from that which would have been reached in this State sufficed to make the situation exceptional or to justify substantially different discipline, I offered: “If that is all that is required to demonstrate exceptional circumstances, then there is no reason for reciprocal discipline; it really is meaningless.” 389 Md. at 566, 886 A.2d at 627. In Whitehead, commenting on, and analyzing the effect of, the majority’s “single-minded focus upon internal consistency,” 390 Md. at 695, 890 A.2d at 770, concluding that such consistency “at the same time ... fosters and even exacerbates the inconsistency, in reciprocal discipline cases, between the sanctions imposed by this Court and the reciprocal states,” id, I asked rhetorically, “what ... is the purpose, then, of Rule 16-773.” Id. I further concluded:
*67“to allow internal consistency to override the Rule itself, again, makes our reciprocal discipline framework utterly and totally superfluous and meaningless.”

Id.

Before Weiss, this Court ordinarily would—“[is] prone,” see Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. 44, 57, 838 A.2d 1238, 1246 (2003)—, to, and did, impose corresponding or equivalent sanctions in reciprocal discipline cases, although not required to do so. Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Gittens, 346 Md. 316, 325, 697 A.2d 83, 88 (1997). This is because the rule was:
“When the Court considers the appropriate sanction in a case of reciprocal discipline, we look not only to the sanction imposed by the other jurisdiction but to our own cases as well. The sanction will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each case, but with a view toward consistent dispositions for similar misconduct.”
Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Willcher, 340 Md. 217, 222, 665 A.2d 1059, 1061 (1995) (quoting Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Parsons, 310 Md. 132, 142, 527 A.2d 325, 330 (1987)). Then, for sanctioning purposes, important factors for the Court to consider were the location of the attorney’s practice, where the misconduct actually occurred, and the seriousness with which the originating jurisdiction treats the misconduct. Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 57, 838 A.2d at 1246. Exemplary of this approach is Ayres-Fountain, supra. Our application of these informing factors and our explication of their relevance in that real and concrete factual setting are instructive on the issue of the proper sanction in this case. In Ayres-Fountain, we accepted, as our own, the sanction imposed on Ayres-Fountain by the Supreme Court of Delaware, even though we recognized that it likely was not identical to one that this Court may have imposed had the matter been initiated in Maryland. Explaining why, we said:
“the respondent essentially is a Delaware lawyer; that is where she lives and where she principally practices. More important, the misrepresentations upon which the petitioner *68principally relies are misrepresentations made to the Supreme Court of Delaware, in certifications contained in annual filings that Court requires to be made in support of its oversight of the administration of justice in that State. That Court was fully informed of the facts and circumstances of the respondent’s conduct. In addition to the stipulation, which is quite detailed and explicit, not only as to the violations but with respect to the respondent’s admissions, the court reviewed the Report and Recommendation of Sanction of the Board of Professional Responsibility. That Report, which accepted the facts recited in the stipulation, was prepared only after the Board conducted a hearing to determine the appropriate sanction to recommend. The Board, in addition to discussing the considerations that were taken into account in fashioning the sanction recommendation, painstakingly analyzed the cases bearing on the proper sanction and that formed the basis for the recommendation it made.
“Having been presented with the Report and the recommendation for a three year suspension, the Supreme Court of Delaware adopted the Report and accepted the recommendation, but only after it had ‘considered the matter carefully.’ That it had a firm grasp of the facts and the gravity of the situation is shown by the court’s recitation of the admissions the respondent made, noting particularly that ‘she falsely represented to the Delaware Supreme Court, in her Certificates of Compliance filed between 1996 and 2000, that she had timely paid all federal, state, and local payroll, gross receipts and income taxes [and] concealed her failure to pay various federal, state and local taxes from the ODC and its auditor.’ In addition, the court referred to the aggravating factors to which the parties stipulated, indicating that the sanction was appropriate ‘in light of their presence.’ ”
Ayres-Fountain, 379 Md. at 58-59, 838 A.2d at 1246-47.
In this case, Jeffrey Keith Gordon, the respondent, is a Texas attorney, who, although admitted to the Bar in this State, has never practiced in this State. The misconduct for *69which he was sanctioned by Texas occurred in Texas, during litigation and consisted of a misrepresentation of a material fact at issue in the litigation and actions taken in furtherance of that fact prior to his disclosure of the misrepresentation some six weeks after he made it. It having been determined that the misconduct was violative of the Texas counterpoint to the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct requiring candor toward a tribunal and proscribing “conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” the Texas Bar, at the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings, reprimanded the respondent.
The majority does not contend that the Bar of Texas takes attorney discipline less seriously than do we or that the purpose of such discipline in Texas is different from the purpose—the protection of the public—for which we pursue such discipline. See generally Attorney Griev. Comm’n v. Gordon, 413 Md. 46, 56, 991 A.2d 51, 56-57. No matter, the majority, relying on Weiss and Whitehead, id. at 55-56, 56-57, 991 A.2d at 56, 57, declares that sanction insufficient. Id. at 63-64, 991 A.2d at 61. Noting that we would impose, in misrepresentation cases initiated in Maryland, a different sanction, id. at 59-63, 991 A.2d at 58-61, it suspends the respondent for a period of forty-five days, id. at 64, 991 A.2d at 61, presumably concluding that the sanction is “substantially different” from the reprimand imposed by Texas. Id. at 63, 991 A.2d at 61.
In Weiss, noting that our cases, at least up to that time, expressed a preference for consistency among States when dispensing discipline in reciprocal discipline cases, specially when there is no divergence in the purpose of the discipline, I lamented that “[the majority’s] rationale for refusing deference in th[at] case can only be that the [originating court] did not exact the pound of flesh that we would have done had the matter initiated in this Court, i.e., it did not punish the respondent to the extent we think required.” 389 Md. at 564-65, 886 A.2d at 625-26. Although that is not the proper test, I *70believe that, as it has done in Weiss and Whitehead, the majority has applied just that test in this case.
I dissent.

. Maryland Rule 16-773 provides, in its entirety:
*65"(a) Duty of Attorney. An attorney who in another jurisdiction (1) is disbarred, suspended, or otherwise disciplined, (2) resigns from the bar while disciplinary or remedial action is threatened or pending in that jurisdiction, or (3) is placed on inactive status based on incapacity shall inform Bar Counsel promptly of the discipline, resignation, or inactive status.
"(b) Petition in Court of Appeals. Upon receiving and verifying information from any source that in another jurisdiction an attorney has been disciplined or placed on inactive status based on incapacity, Bar Counsel may file a Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action in the Court of Appeals pursuant to Rule 16-751(a)(2). A certified copy of the disciplinary or remedial order should be attached to the Petition, and a copy of the Petition and order shall be served on the attorney in accordance with Rule 16-753.
"(c) Show cause order. When a petition and certified copy of a disciplinary or remedial order have been filed, the Court of Appeals shall order that Bar Counsel and the attorney, within 15 days from the date of the order, show cause in writing based upon any of the grounds set forth in section (e) of this Rule why corresponding discipline or inactive status should not be imposed.
"(d) Temporary suspension of attorney. When the petition and disciplinary or remedial order demonstrate that an attorney has been disbarred or is currently suspended from practice by final order of a court in another jurisdiction, the Court of Appeals may enter an order, effective immediately, suspending the attorney from the practice of law, pending further order of Court. The provisions of Rule 16-760 apply to an order suspending an attorney under this section.
“(e) Exceptional circumstances. Reciprocal discipline shall not be ordered if Bar Counsel or the attorney demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that:
"(1) the procedure was so lacking in notice or opportunity to be heard as to constitute a deprivation of due process;
"(2) there was such infirmity of proof establishing the misconduct as to give rise to a clear conviction that the Court, consistent with its duty, cannot accept as final the determination of misconduct;
"(3) the imposition of corresponding discipline would result in grave injustice;
"(4) the conduct established does not constitute misconduct in this State or it warrants substantially different discipline in this State; or
"(5) the reason for inactive status no longer exists.
"(f) Action by Court of Appeals. Upon consideration of the petition and any answer to the order to show case, the Court of Appeals may immediately impose corresponding discipline or inactive status, may enter an order designating a judge pursuant to Rule 16-752 to hold a hearing in accordance with Rule 16-757, or may enter any other appropriate order. The provisions of this Rule 16-760 apply to an order under this section that disbars or suspends an attorney or that places the attorney on inactive status.
“(g) Conclusive effect of adjudication. Except as provided in subsections (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this Rule, a final adjudication in a disciplinary or remedial proceeding by another court, agency, or tribunal that an attorney has been guilty of professional conduct or is incapacitat*66ed is conclusive evidence of that misconduct or incapacity in any proceeding under this Chapter. The introduction of such evidence does not preclude the Commission or Bar Counsel from introducing additional evidence or preclude the attorney from introducing evidence or otherwise showing cause why no discipline or lesser discipline should be imposed.
"(h) Effect of stay in other jurisdiction. If the other jurisdiction has stayed the discipline or inactive status, any proceedings under this Rule shall be deferred until the stay is no longer operative and the discipline or inactive status becomes effective.”