Court Opinion

ID: 9685854
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 15:07:34.08422+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:19:12.123337
License: Public Domain

TO BE PUBLISHED

               Supreme Court of Kentucky
                                2022-SC-0422-KB

RICHARD DAVID NULL                                                      MOVANT

V.                            IN SUPREME COURT

KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION                                          RESPONDENT

                             OPINION AND ORDER

      This Court’s December 15, 2022, Opinion and Order in this matter1

resolved eight (8) separate disciplinary actions taken against Null and imposed

a one-year suspension from the practice of law with 180 days of such

suspension to be served, and 185 days of the suspension being probated for

two (2) years subject to certain listed conditions.

      On April 26, 2023, the Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) made motion for

this Court to enter a show cause order against Null for multiple violations of

the conditions of his probation imposed by this Court. Specifically, the KBA

alleged that Null had not: (a) refunded the $11,025 in unearned fees to his

      1 Null v. Kentucky Bar Association, 2022-SC-0422-KB, 2022 WL

      19330699 (Ky. Dec. 15, 2022)
clients; (b) attended or completed the Ethics and Professionalism Enhancement

Program (EPEP); (c) attended or completed the Trust Account Management

Program (TAMP); (d) paid the $558.01 in costs imposed in this action; and (e)

notified all current clients and courts in which he had matters pending of his

suspension; each of which were ordered by this Court.

       On May 19, 2023, this Court entered an Order to Show Cause directing

Null to show cause why the 185-day probated portion of his one-year

suspension should not be imposed for his failures to conform with this Court’s

prior Order as alleged by the KBA. The Order to Show Cause further directed

Null to do so within ten (10) days.

      As of the date of the entry of this Order, Null has filed no pleadings or

documentation whatsoever in conformity with our show cause order.

      In accord with the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

      1. The 185-day suspension, previously probated, is now imposed on

Richard Davis Null as a suspension from the practice of law due to his failure

to show cause and his failure to comply with the terms of his probation as

provided for in this Court’s Opinion and Order dated December 15, 2022. This

185-day suspension is in addition to the 180- day suspension previously

imposed by this Court and now constitutes a total suspension of one year, all

in conformity with our December 15. 2022 Opinion and Order as modified on

March 23, 2023.

      2. Pursuant to SCR 3.390, Null, if he has not already done so, shall,

within ten (10) days from the entry of this Order, notify all clients in writing of
his inability to represent them, and notify all courts in which he has matters

pending of his suspension from the practice of law, and furnish copies of said

letters of Notice to the Office of Bar Counsel.

      3. During the time of his suspension, Null shall not accept new clients or

collect unearned fees.

      4. Pursuant to SCR 3.390, Null shall, to the extent possible, immediately

cancel and cease any advertising activities in which he is engaged.

      VanMeter, C.J.; Bisig, Conley, Lambert, Keller, and Thompson, JJ.,

concur. Nickell, J., not sitting.

      ENTERED: August 24, 2023

                                      _____________________________________
                                      CHIEF JUSTICE