Court Opinion

ID: 4217264
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-11-02 15:12:16.664319+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:24.756909
License: Public Domain

·TO BE;'P.UBLISHED

                  J~pmt' aluud Jlf ~i
                                     .2017-"SC-0003:88~.KB
                                                       ·.···:

NANCY OLIVJDR ROBERTS                                                                   :MOVA.NT

KENTUCKY.BARASS'dClATlON

Nancy Olivftr:.Ro.berts>f'or reinstatement t(f th¢ pta~tj¢~ of lt:tw'.follPW:irig):t
discipiinary. suspe~sion.of .~!'days, im.?Q$ed. bY:t!li$ .C(.)'Ptt in. I(8A ¥!; :Rri~~~

431s.W.3.d40;() {Ky._2'0:14). ,No .ob.j~.Ction h~~J>.ee,n.maa~to           berrrelnstafement;',
however, the· Keri.tuok,yBar ,Association (KBA}:,Office of;Bar'CQUn~l (~ .
Counsel)~ obj~cts·io:::~:.~ Sq,~.~f'·(i.Qveqw.~~~,fijj;¢ 13&~1 te¢omm¢n4~9n

tha:t:.Robert;$ b~,·~<;.µ~~d fro$ P.a.Yingrtfi~ ¢.E}$:t$:J.ri(;Uried 'J:>.y~tn.e.::1abtfor;the
r:ein$~teJ:PeP.1:.P.ftC>.ceedin~~~   :Sfir C.owis.eLc.Iarma:'tbat:thtLB'oar.d1s
recommendation with .respect to .the waiver. of:oosts -e~c~edS it$ a.Uth9dty under

"the   K~l~ i~~~r~~~wt~m~~=:!!e~~~:~~~co:f:!~J:;.~~J~~~s
one arm, of the Ke~tU,pky Bar Associati,9-il;
                                   ·
                                                        pµt
the relev~nt::$.µp.r.e,ro~ ~9µtJ;'&4.l~~.J~nd th~tits .rea.:son.10.t-·the r.eoomm:end.~ti~n·
 i$.¢.t>ntr-~cy•to . :the-Supr.eme Court· .Rules.and existlng:e~~e:·~\y·•

        iror~the·reasons ~~aine.~ ~eloW. 1: w~:'.accept:Ute B:o$:rd>S: r.~o.mmendatian
for Robert$' .rem~taten,iert.t
                      .        t6 tt?°eci>J:actice,_.of.Jawt.·fucludlng·its
                                       ·. .               ·.         . ~.
                                                                            recommen4Qtf<>;r;i.- ·

                  l. PAOTO'At.Hn·.PROOEDURAL.:~Q-OQP.:·
        Roberts· was admitted. to pt~tj.ce'¥:tw in ·-ic.~;rt~~~ in I\J~v~tn:b.er 1988~

.Her·disciplm~ te'¢f>:r4 ln¢1'4.C;les a   private ad.monition m19:~. fornothavfng;a.·
-wrltt¢n oqn.tm~et:icy.f~ ~$fef;m~nt and·a:·ptivate a4mcnµ~~tiJn·;2Q91 ·fQf'·
.. ~n~giil~: in ex. parte~·ct'Jtnmµ;pi>¢~9.qp;~ w,itbe.!~j~qg¢~ . :Qp J.:)~®.m~r l~~ >2.o:og~
·0pposi~g:.cou,q~~i i~ ~.:PiiPb.~fe.:~~~ !i1ecta. '.har,eo~plairit::ag~inst/,20nerts:,, $ff.~

 ~~ .Jqle. 1:ae:aQ.. For-:r.e,as.Qns·notpertlhenthere, thet~>·~$';~.t\Y.1il$·p~~& m,.

ab~yance::and--.nC>.fotmal charg~:.wa.$ evet'~l)O.d. hY.:tlieJn~ilify Com.mission.

.This 2o09 cq~~I~fntr. h¢Iq Jn ,a;~eyar;ipe.> .Wo.ajd. later.cause:·'a.substantial d~laf
i11.R~ib.C.li$' ¢lll.TentJi~ffo.rt to be:reinstatedr-and: that delay.. 1s·-~:·¢rodi.~iA~~.tot

tnQ.tiv.atln;g the·Board?.s reoommen·datl~Jil .:t.P -~~rppt;, ~QQ~~~ ft'Qtq -P.~Yi.b.$.,'the,
costs reiated.·w ·li¢t ~eµi~t,t;\t~¢.liit~ Jn 2.Q.l.~; . w~ffij>tjpd;R~~rt$ :guilty pn. +.wo .
disciplinacy chaj'.ge:S. ("~BA. File 1741 lJ ·for which'we .ordered ;her·t0=:serve·'8.: <$.1:""
 day ·sus·pension from the praetice ofltiw. Robe~1 4~·i ~·W.:~:3,a ~oo:~

      · F.ollow.i~ her suspen$fo.i:t~Ro.ber:ts ttnde.rt~ka1Lap~~P.fiate.·'$teps•:and
paid: the .as$(!~~q KB.A eo~~~,.-~Y.et'e~ tj).¢' b:t>Jsmes~r;s~:,outside her offieel

riQ:t.ifi.eg the· il¢C¢$s~ CQ:u:its and:clieirts.-.6f.;ber::su$p.~~n,. ~i;{:o.;b~n¢d. .tlie!
. :appropriate
    .
               CLE f'tling,cer:tificatioD:
                           •.    .         for':her reinstatern~~~·· By r;>~o:t*-'P•;pf t.~~
re,fovMt.§~pt~Pi¢ Gow.t:·We$~ -~qbe!~ w:~s-:¢»:'.tiUed.Jo.~utoma.clc

rein~tatement             of the· privile~e,ofpractlcin.&·iaw··on··May· a·q;j~tH4,~;·uni~s':!]Ba:r
_counsel iliterpo$ed, i;tnt)l?j~9tio~ .ro t;¢in~~t~e~~~ is.-~e..'SGR::S.~'.SlP:(~":·

          ;on April 3:0;~ 2PX4~ ·Rt>.bert$-.sl.lbmitted to the:J~lBA-::an .Amctav1f'f0r
ReiP:'.$tatem.ent ·ancl Oomplianee.pittsuant t6 SCR::S':-5t~t~J. Tlle;'·~t1,;¢.¢:·:Q.(~~:t
counsel tiled. an ::l;)bje¢ti~~ ~o.:Rp~e~~·(r~J'n~tat~tl~.P;~ Qli:. MEW '!'9., ~OJ.4·~, $CR
                                                                   1

6-5~1:0(2)t~quite$ that-5.ar:~counsel, wb~n.ob$.c~g to reinstatement~ m~t-

d~ail /'~ch inftio:nation.:as.may:exist'to:tn(iiC~tUitl¢~:~¢... n,uaj.it1~tiPP..$
'p.tci~tJy 'J(),·~$.eW.ed~b~ :Ptitblfo:.a$ an aohiiv.e: p.r:a~nttoner' o.r:i.ls,,no.f:of good.,mor.al
 i

·characterl' .As.J1ro11n:ds for its·.:ofi>jectloni~=··tg:a;;r ¢0\trt~~;:Stg~~: ~~1>~~9.¢1l't:~
the subj¢ct'.ofpep.~~·'.C:ij~#P,f)Jte·~ Tbetefot¢;~.!@' K~P,~l,fy 5.er.-A$.:SQ~~ti.Qp

abjects. to. any automatic·reinstatement,•of.: the
     •                                                                        ,<
                                                                                   R:espc>nden~
                                                                                      •
                                                                                                       as.she does net at.

th.is· titne.possess s'Ufifuient:llrofesSion~.capabifities ~n(i;'.q9al.11)e~9f.i~J9··                                               •:

                                                               "
  · · l · ·".P.eyt:
'()fi.Y'      · .· d'.m5
                      · ·~ ro~.:.
                           .· ·· tt'er
                                     · W;!,~       ,.. ...,0"9
                                        ··:" ·....~·"~·4·'.        · · 'l' =· ·t··· 'V'-tl>'.':Jt ·nc1 t0 ·~si:::·' '~·.,... h ·l..A... •·
                                                            M . . '.~,Q-~pt~ . ~?:AP1:>..~:·,i.J,~· .. 9.~ v.i;.=~~ •.. 'e,itJ;.;Ul::'

abeyal)..C:e . .    Q'h;=April.11!.J~0.141..three.weeks,in\fol~.~; serviee;.ef"fue 6•:;f~-d~y:

··suspension;; Bat :Counsei movec{ td t¢Stui'ie i:{ijtion=J>P. K:a~ .fil~ 1-$~6.                                             ?be.
Jn.qµJtjr:g9m~~1d:rj: JO:tm~t ~~'#tP.~d' Fll~'.:1~s~· ffQrti ~l)e~anoo1bert& ttle(f.~ nµnibet·.of pleading$ $,eekitit..,to ~low tae rein$:tatemeht '.~9¢e~s
                                                                                                                                             j

to P.rocee,Q.,.q¢spit.~·'th¢ ~$Urtecti<)~:ofthe:.2.0Q9 cemplai.n:t !\fev:erlkelesst::the=
mat~e:r t~w~iti;~~ . up~~Jy¢.q, ~ . ~lil.tM:'.t&::~nd, ROberts· rlled.her·appllcatlon.it>rif~rmal.

.reinstatem   . ·-t in September·
   .. ....... ~.          . ·     2014.        As·:·'req:,
                                                       · ·uited.:'k.r"'·ur
                                                              ..... HY CJ,...... .ttlle:s
                                                                                   '·" .... ,   :b~t'ap"··~lif¢4ti<>n
                                                                                                   ...... P.fJ;....,., " ·.

·"Yas referred.fG>.t·t.~iff1!V 1;lY the·~actet.at\d.'Fitri~~·'Conuriitte:e~
       · Op P.~cem'be.r 2$,)~0.14~.'the. Inqttiry
                                                ·'"'
                                                     'Ootmriission issued another
                                                                              . . .

.®.triP.l~nt ~ainst Robert$,,.. KBA;Fi1e. ~323$.~ .             T:he µ,p,d~lnni~g fQr· tbi$
complaintr-wasAhi1tt ~t:)~t§:.'b~)~~!J!~¢tr:;:~P.tl'.leJ~''~~~ te. ~S.":etnltt; .
:p,rq~'e¢.ttin:g~l ·~µgge~Una that.:·~oberts was.: engaged .tn.::the unau~i~~ p,taetf~

of':law·du~:·this.:exfensic:m ofher:·~~P(1l~~oni'. ~~~ft~. ·c.tml.¢.d ~·t:::~ti'b.ild.,

eng.ag:ed =iri th¢ ..Ptiitctf.~¢.. otI~\V,.;P6in.".:ti9tf6u~:~«t:·$he ~tt~.ndh'd.:qou:r±..
ptei~ltigs .~.s anon·aftom~y.':$Pc;iaLSecurli& Admin1stratfon ·tep,r.eg¢ttt~tj:Y,~~

on· Septmnber"..f6:~ 2'015~ ·the:lnqutr.y <.1o~~$i~ii.:·4*-&.m.~~~¢.4. ~:. ®mPJ~t ~4:
-OI<>sed'.Jo3A . File 2:~2~s:·Witho.mJ:heimP<>S.i~fi.itr~·di&~FUrie :againstJwbeits.
Q11 ·~@re.mP.e.r ~'5, ~()];~/th¢:.~:QJl.9J..,,~·:c:onn:H~mkused to. 'bar Rober.ts·;;

aii.t9m~tic reinstatement fo the. praritice:·oftaw~:-a.nd. ~~~)¥: $~,y:e,~~t~~r:~"'.

File; f~36-tuing,' was .re·so1V¢d, Wj~ Efpt:ht~t~ ~~~tii.Utj~:;'fQ~:,a viQiatjqi.l; ·()f;:sc;R
3.130(:1.:ll::(~P.:.'f).~omey ~p~ll,Pt.e;t~·'~uest.~.,lhe··,Character'and.,~itnes&·-~t~

n~Q/~ h~_Eµin~ Qrt her APiJlication fur Reins~t~µl.¢ti:t ·i~ 4@:14~)¥ 2Ql7•. ' tth'.¢:.,
              .                                                                            .

·Committee·:CO'Ileluded ~:.R,-rit>¢r.t§ tta;4·:.~et.~ill ,h®esswy=~rereq:ulsli.:es a:ad
qualificatjatlS:for'te!il:l$tatement;ane::hi~WY:~n~~s~~t,J3~ ~:unsel-relies·.:upon:~c:R ~·-:$'.i:.f£fi:):·whtep;:~t~~,            m;
~pertinent   parb
        The):i>.itectot· .~h,a!tP:9~ a;~¢ept~P. appli,qafilau fot ·tiltn:g unlesS:,alt.

        E~~;!i~;;e~~=·
          . .             pr . ~~4:wal ...... &.... ..~.m...J.tb.. A. $Q~tioo or:
        ef the Character ancf"Flmess··ffommitte-e ot·oft.he Jtfnt.tt~l&-!"Ot'ilee

        ~~~-~=~~~e\:~
(;Emp!1tJ.sis -~ct~¢d.)
        J~i~b.efts, paiQ. . hutdV.aace, tb.eJ·ees=.req~d ~o ~~tj.~~tlie;t;e~pplie~Qrt

:process an(Lshe p~t,~4 ·~~ ~9~~~-~~qpjt,¢.~·~t~::~f"additicm:al~costs?~: tO.
$,2'500.()Q,....1j;t¢.'.:g~y, ¢.~~ -~~ =:~t.~¢ ~~-:are·,~~J~tlpaid costs or&n$ily.:t~k¢:r;i:·
it.om. the b9~d ai::uf.··tne.additi0natc0sts·not -co'V~·- J:>Y>thtf'f.>-9~~,/
       :Bar· Cbutt$elat;g:ues th~t µo~~V.g ·~~_tb.;¢~~CI ~.:s:l.,o:p;J~:itni.il.¢,~·-that.tihe

payment ofcosts l$::,di.$cretio~-. -In:~ect,.Jaar Qoun.sef: ~es,that the
Pht~-S¢~ '·"c()~t$WU1 b,e;.:~~ by;f\l?,plie:an.t/' is a commatidi:from'w"}aj.~~ tf.d~ Qt>~rl

4~$,:l~(t,.tt~elf'.,~o-dlsctetion':fu,deVi'at~ evei:i wh~ ~$··tm.t:i.Jtl-~tie.¢= 4¢m:and.
otherw1se;.       W'e:=disagroo. 'we:~l'it~tPt~:t~ a1J~i:ti~·::CQµi.t1;RU:tes. in accordance·
·witli ·~~~if .·ptaj,rt. ·Jatjgti~e .. :$.tlll!JeP~Jl• Oommaid by-0 A:pp?licant1.~
  . '· ·.                        ~.   ~.                                                                                                                               . ..

 The·wor/~l··fli·'l1··y,,~ ...,..,.,,"'_.;;,:t::u',.,,.,;,,.i]":··1··;;'CO"". ""'·~"A4-.i:..s•
                   .. .::1.;:,~J.tV~~): ~~:~~:w,~· '~W. ,\-' ':/-:Q:,-~~.-u~',. 'WI . :
                                                                                                                                        ·ti.·e·.. ,....,.,.,.'*'"'°"""'·£l:MJ:'
                                                                                                                       W.:.t.~.IUi...~'D ·,~l: · ,-,~~~~~'.~~.,::
                                                                                                                                                                                  aprooess~.·,an(Lthe,appiicantsh®I:C: ,~t:~t th~

 satrre; The~tµl~ ~()'¢.$:.#,pt.;gtjg~~~t~¢, :~~iQi,li~ mta;t¢.ft~t.att¢*-~~Wij;l'·Q~ro;p¢1:.
 ~· deviatiO}l ,fro.nr th.at.~~~c.t~tw.n, ;a.nd.:sQ.we.:eonfirrn;:nov1rthat t.hi'&·C0.u:rt:

 retains"the.:diScretion:,to:,~eparld'rom theYcust~·ditecti\re;:!ot':alloca~:

 c-Osts when f~eS$ and Jl;1$tice so:.f.¢q~~~·•
         B r,.... "l · ..... ,. t . ·a· .f:h....+·+=t;;:· B"
                                            ·~t                                    d . ts
                                                                                       .. "d·.· jih          ·~"~t
        •.•.. €}.t *-9.µn..~ .~~.,cq.n ~rt .. $ .. · "~,..i;µ;.r:e; ·-~... ·. ~~d~. QU ... ~.·. ~·'"· e $PO.p..e.;·w:: ·u;::;;
                                                                                                                                                                                               -'1:1·1~­

 authc:?rl't,y" Jn. v.iolatien=.of $QR,3~$t0,~3) whea.lt:reqpestecfR.-Oilferlfs1· exemptl.oo
. from costs. sc:R:~at5':f0.{'3) iproVides{int~ie~tWt:t.~}'~~f·Q~~:$h~t .~¢w.

          '2.'1#.:c9~,ffi9~ . Qt·' C:l~µm.ajj;pf,\t~f¢¢¢!,. ,aj).C;t.~•ib ~~.:~j~U,i~ti,~~::tP,~ .~¢:r,m.:
 '$hajj'. j~ ·awpr:d:. 9f p()n;unap;Q."an't'l ....... 1P:U$fJ~e ~:ven a ooxn.putsoey::mearungl' .,BJ.aek.'s
 taw.;oict1ottary i:2a3 (Sthed. f979.}.; ~shaifni~s'·$h1:uh"' 'va~qlbv. · ...                               ·
.-~~6~~~~.~&:i~~(~~:~ir, ~QQa);~.fl..@Q,rlJ.::~1;~.                                                                                                          p•   .Jmi~~;.·:a~s:
          a:>nt;tp~/l~~~~r#~'"W~b~ter;com/d.ictiOnary/wUl~.

                                                                                                t
.the:·.rtecorct; ;repo(.t. art4. l)riefs:~h.4.f:¢¢Pitlm~. ;apP.r9v~:p;r';al$app.tQv.al .Pfthe
·;a;ppl~tif;li:L(w'.·t:'

        We·do :not ;agree'.:wftfi: a~·9~~~lt$. iP.;t.fi~t:~~tit:m 4ftb¢,:®."Ul~g ~to th~]:til~'tbiit c4tiStiains the S.oard ta :o~reoommenmn~'.,&e

;~pptov~.·¢fr::re~~c.tiQn of an ·aJ?,¥!lieatlon::for·.reinsta~ment:. ·Thed\~µ~ ~~t

i\$SOclation. is:thtForgan~q.n est~bl~sfu!·d ~Y. ru~ (),f'tbi$~Qout:t.:t.~,,~:'<,iut>ita.
c~ti:i:qtj®aj.ttl.aJ:'l~'a.~ t(;l "~QV~ ·adtni~sibnt<>:· the baitand.1herdi$tjplirte of

,$..fj!ml::).¢T~:::Qftne b~.t\~'· :Klr;·~ ::eonst ~ i16j:·;.ru:con:i::t~R$ 2'.t~~·:lOO~: ·1~J3.~<$: ~

Governors o£the, ken~~~~ ~~~o.i~o¥»: t~:.·¢~i.ji;i~ ~ .•qµr;:m~~'.tl~ Qf.

go,y~~g th~        pi:µ' oftl)~;~~te,·and~·~lc0:tne;·the;inpu,t'of.tbat body. T.he
B.o;,ird'S .:re.cemmendatians relevant.to the.ftis:t.d~o.$itfo1t·~.~~~ip\~~ .

n'lEltters ccni: a~~:~t:~~ Qf!wtm: took .f'ar ±.oo I.

1~0t addt¢~ .M.rein~.

                                           JI~~· J:m~~StTI.'.QN
        ·w~· a.gre,e wi.m:.and . a.~cordlqg}y.,a.cce,p~· tne~Bt>ard.:ottlovemor.s~

.:recQmmendatlor.r:th.at·)~:anoy- Olfu.er.fioberts~'.~P,pli<:a;tjo.J.1: 'fo.r ~~P.~.~t¢rp.ent 'f.Q ·
    the ._p:ta'ctice:··or:Ia.w:b        .· ·0 ·· ··. .1<···.·
                    . ..,.;···'""'.,.. ,.~~PP                      ". :.:.~.···.·.·.·e .t. .o
                                                              · tL.~·!->11
                                                       9'1'.e,...                           ... ~.'I-.··-
                                                                                                wu:r   a..  ..n.
                                                                                                      ••. ~«>"""'..,    :t~d ~b(),v,¢,,."7e, find'.it appropriate ;~:the·':ex«¢~$e~aj'.'l®t ~~~\'.;fr~tjQ~ftp ·$t~t.

    ·the .B:Qa.r:tt::with het !\.m>~#~~.::fP.t'

    ~~nsta:tero.ent soon. be;:refund.ed:. in·'fiilt.upq~.:f#~ :tti.t~fw:.qi·~J$:::.Qt4;~tj

                  Outiningh:am, Ft'Ugb,~~,~.Kell¢'r,, N~M.etet~ \tent~, . and Witl1ht~ J.J.~,
·   -concur~ Mi11tP..ti~ Q~;.H~ (i<;>($i~t~!

                 '~1\'T'l'~D;~o·:·• i'l\t'ri~~efilbe. ~                  2·: ::20i1-"'°'"·.·
                 :.~~~.1··~~~-· .·•.~ ·.~lY:~v~. . , ......... ·'°'·:. .. ..:~::-- . .

                                                                                         ..·. , ;;P,-