Court Opinion

ID: 9706428
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:43:22.48654+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:22.663227
License: Public Domain

SANDSTROM, Justice,
dissenting.
Because I would impose the sanction recommended by the Disciplinary Board, I respectfully dissent. Sadly, the majority opinion places this Court in the position of being an apologist for “one of the least excusable acts for which a lawyer can be disciplined.” Matter of Walton, 251 N.W.2d 762, syllabus 1 (N.D.1977).
The Petersons were Gray’s clients before he brought Lochow into the joint representation for the probate of Robert Peterson’s estate. Shortly after Robert’s death, Gray and Lochow both persuaded Susan Peterson to transfer $75,000 to their trust account. Gray used the trust account “to pay for airline tickets, motel and restaurant charges, cash advances, service station charges and transfers to a personal [account]. None of the withdrawn funds were used in connection with the Robert H. Peterson Estate.” Finding of Fact 17. “At the time that the funds were withdrawn by Gray, no accounting or notice was provided to Mrs. Peterson.” Finding of Fact 18.
Before this Court, Gray misrepresents that the proposed sanction is essentially the same as imposed on Lochow. “Michael Lochow was disciplined and his license was suspended for six months by the Minnesota Supreme Court and the North Dakota Supreme Court for mishandling the [Petersen] estate.” Gray’s Brief at 7. “This sanction ... is also unfair when the facts of this case are compared to that of Michael Lochow, who received basically the same sanctions as what the Board is proposing for Gray.” Gray’s Brief at 19. In this case, the Board has recommended Gray receive a fixed six-month suspension, and pay the costs of the disciplinary proceeding. Loehow’s license was suspended indefinitely, with other significant conditions:
“We order that Michael R. Lochow’s certificate of admission to practice law in this state be indefinitely suspended, effective August 1, 1993, and that he not be eligible to petition for reinstatement for a period of six months. We further order that Lo-chow pay costs and expenses of $1,067.33. We further order that if Lochow is reinstated to practice law in this state, he shall be subject to two years supervised probation under a North Dakota attorney and shall maintain trust accounts, books, and records as required by the North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct.”
Matter of Disciplinary Action Against Lochow, 502 N.W.2d 252, 255 (N.D.1993). Lo*175chow’s license remains suspended today, more than two-and-a-half years later.
The majority excuses Gray because his conduct included the period when his partnership with Lochow was coming to an end. Yet, Gray did not leave the practice of law in any legal sense, and, as conceded during oral argument, he and Lochow continued in a joint venture relative to this client throughout the course of misconduct by both. The liabilities of joint venturers are the same as those of partners. Thompson v. Danner, 507 N.W.2d 550, 556 (N.D.1993).
The majority rationalizes: “The lack of dishonest or selfish motive is a mitigating factor which is applicable to this proceeding.” Neither the hearing panel nor the Board made such a finding. Gray’s use of trust funds to pay his own bills, unrelated to estate business, reflects nothing but a selfish motive.
The majority cites as a mitigating factor, “which the Board did not consider,” that “Gray has no other disciplinary record” and notes, in what appears to be a type of double counting, “he was a relatively inexperienced lawyer.” However, Conclusion of Law 5 states: “A mitigating factor is the absence of a prior disciplinary record.” The absence of a prior record was a factor already considered by the Board in arriving at its recommended discipline, and therefore is not a new matter which warrants different discipline. Lochow at 255.
I would impose the sanction recommended by the Board.
NEUMANN, J., concurs.