Court Opinion

ID: 9742533
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:15:33.944649+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:08:47.677200
License: Public Domain

Levin, J.
(concurring). We agree that the hearing panel’s findings are adequately supported by evidence and that the suspension should be reduced from 1 year to 60 days.
We see no need to consider the standard of review. Whatever the standard, the answer is the same; the charges of professional misconduct were proven, the findings of the Grievance Board are affirmed and the period of suspension is reduced.
Since the standard of review has been discussed, we are obliged to express our disagreement with the statement that this Court’s review of grievance proceedings is in the nature of certiorari. While certiorari was the standard when disciplinary orders were issued by panels of three circuit judges subject to only discretionary review by this Court, this limited review would be inconsistent with both the concept and practice of the present grievance procedure.
Certiorari scans the record for errors of law, which by definition includes the absence of evi*602dence to support a finding of fact.1 Since the new grievance procedures were adopted, this Court has regularly reviewed records to determine whether the administrator’s charge of professional misconduct has been adequately proven.2 This Court has, thus, shown its concern for the adequacy of the record and for meaningful review in grievance proceedings of the crucial fact-finding process. A truncated review by certiorari would insulate from appellate scrutiny close questions of fact determination by the Grievance Board. We owe it to the profession and the public not to reduce our reviewing responsibility.
The State Bar Grievance Board was created by this Court within the State Bar of Michigan as "the arm of the Supreme Court for the discharge of its exclusive constitutional responsibility to supervise and discipline the members of the State Bar of Michigan.” Preamble to Rule 16, Rules Concerning the State Bar of Michigan.3 (Emphasis supplied.)
In contrast with an independent administrative agency created by the Legislature, a jury composed of persons drawn from the community, a court with established traditions, the Grievance Board is part of the administrative structure of this Court; our responsibility for our creation is nondelegable.
"All proceedings hereunder,” say the State Bar *603Grievance Board Procedural and Administrative Rules promulgated by this Court, "are subject to the superintending control of the Supreme Court.” Rule 16.33(a). "These rules and Rule 15 shall be liberally construed for the protection of the public, the courts and the legal profession”. Rule 16.33(d). "The Supreme Court may make such order as may be deemed appropriate, including dismissal of the appeal or affirmance of the order appealed from.” Rule 16.23(h) (Emphasis supplied.)
. When Attorney General v Lane, 259 Mich 283, 286; 243 NW 6 (1932), was decided, review by this Court was on "motion of appeal”, construed in Lane to mean "application for, and allowance of, an appeal.” Such an application sought review of a decision by a panel of three circuit judges; now this Court is the only judicial participant in the grievance process.
The grievance procedure was then statutorily prescribed.4 The statute expressly provided for review by the Supreme Court on "application thereto for a writ of certiorari”. 1929 CL 13585. Lane construed a 1931 amendment5 6*of this statute as not changing the legislative intent to limit the review to certiorari.6
*604The present legislation (the Revised Judicature Act) provides that the practice and procedure in State Bar disciplinary matters are to be prescribed by rules and regulations adopted by the Supreme Court. MCLA 600.904; MSA 27A.904.
Both the language of the rules and regulations adopted by this Court and this Court’s actual practice confirms that this Court’s review of Grievance Board fact finding is more comprehensive than a limited search for some evidence tending to support the Grievance Board’s findings of fact. We have and ought to continue to closely scrutinize these records to determine whether the record support is convincing and persuasive. While we have not heretofore articulated a standard indicating the parameters of our review, neither have we, before, suggested a narrow approach to our reviewing responsibility.
In this very case the review of the record was careful and comprehensive. Justice Williams’ opinion thoughtfully reviews the evidence and demonstrates that in fact Harmon had not admitted at the grievance panel hearing that he authorized Estes to settle the damage claims against Harmon. And even if he had authorized Estes to settle, the kind of general settlement authority Estes claimed, "as good a settlement as I could on damages,” would not permit a lawyer finally to agree to terms of settlement without further consultation with and final approval of his client.
We would have no difficulty with Justice Williams’ opinion if it stated the standard as it is stated at the conclusion of Part II of the opinion, "we will determine whether the Board’s findings *605have proper evidentiary support on the whole record.”
T. E. Brennan and T. G. Kavanagh, JJ., concurred with Levin, J.

 Ronna Hope Serlin, Inc v Liquor Control Commission, 347 Mich 268, 270-271; 79 NW2d 489 (1956); Erlandson v Genesee County Employees’ Retirement Commission, 337 Mich 195, 201-202; 59 NW2d 389 (1953).

 See State Bar of Michigan v Lavan, 384 Mich 624; 186 NW2d 331 (1971) ; Holt v State Bar Grievance Board, 388 Mich 50; 199 NW2d 195 (1972) .

 If, as Rule 16 states, the "exclusive constitutional responsibility to supervise and discipline the members of the State Bar of Michigan” is vested in this Court, then there is no need to consider the "minimum standard of review” spelled out in Const 1963, art 6, § 28.

 Justice Williams’ opinion states: "We thus retain the standard for review established by case law prior to adoption of these new disciplinary rules.” The case law, Lane, was based on a statute since repealed. Lane implements a legislative choice and does not purport to state what the Court in the exercise of its own independent judgment thought to be a sound reviewing standard,

 1931 PA 171.

 The Court viewed the substitution of the words "motion of appeal” for the words "application thereto for a writ of certiorari” as consonant with a change made by the Court Rules of 1931 which substituted a "notice of appeal” for other methods of invoking appellate intervention (e.g., writ of error, appeal, certiorari, etc.). The 1931 court rule expressly provided that this change shall not be deemed to restrict or enlarge the "right of review”. The Lane Court stated that the 1931 legislative enactment "evidently endeavored * * * to speak the language” of the 1931 court rule, and concluded: "Our omnibus *604nomenclature of appeals leads us now to look through the verbiage of the statute and rule, and term the review an appeal in the nature of * ** * certiorari.” Attorney General v Lane, supra, pp 286-287.