Court Opinion

ID: 4220910
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-11-16 15:10:54.623909+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:40:51.099188
License: Public Domain

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                                                                                                ·TO BE PUBLISHETI>

                                           2017..gc,.:00038'8~.&a .                    [Q) ~IJ[E:t~ftl/(i? J<.',,!.i tltd""l""lr f:)c.
                                                                                                     ~-                             .

NANCY OLIVER ROBERTS                                                                                       :MOV.A1'4T

KENTUCKY BARASS'OCIATibN

                                      :OPIIf.ION
                                       .. ·.. ·.. .·
                                                     AID     .()tmJtR:
                                                     ........·.··· .. . ..

       This··tnat1;~r:_i$ lzi·e{&.re•tll~ 0~n:itl·,'Upµr.t ir.t KBA v. RPl:J¢rts,
431 S.W,;3.d 4.0,0: (Ky. 2'0:14). No ob.jection ha.$, been made fo her re.instatement;;

however~ the .Kentucky Bar·Associatlon (KBA)                             Office of Bar·CQun~l (B~
Counse~) 1 <>hjeets= fo:,~e:.I\BA B~~~:Wf®.v¢r:JW~~"·;(tti~ ~&'.~) r~¢9m.m¢.nd~f.on

tha:t.Roootts b~:·eJ?;¢.9.$~d fio~ paying,tffe ¢~$t~:.#icUried J:>.Y,~tb:cd03JLfor±he
reinstatement proceecling$, J3ar Cs:.rux1$¢Lelfiims:. tb~t:'"thELBoard:~s
r~conunendation with .respect: to the waiver of costs -eiceedsits autli9rl:t:y under

        ~i..J:n the brlef file&w.ith this Court' the· Office of:aar-~CoUilselxefets:to-it~lf' as
'(the.·I:ut
one ann: ufthe.Xe:qtµ9ky ;BarA$soc,i~tj9n!                   ·             ·
 the r.elevatit'$.\ipte,_m¢ ~9µtt'R\:il¢.~·:Wd tMtJts. r-ea:sonitntracy:to,,:th~:,.Silp~eme Court .Ruies.and existlng:e?l~e:-1~~-•

        ·i:r-or:the·rea:sons ~plairte~ ~e1oW1: w~·:acc¢pft~e a:o.ata,S: r~JXUP;endatfon
 for Robert$' .r~ir)s,taternetl;t t6 ~ej;>(actice,_ ofJawt--fucluding,
                                               ··.:       ..        ·."
                                                                        ifs. recommendQtt<:>:ri
                                                                                       ..
                                                                                                ·              .

                      ·1.. PA&rt1AL-DD·.PR6c•nURAL -~QJt<>t.tW».:­
        Roberts· was admitted. to pr~ctj.c.e ·~w.in :I<:~;rt\i,;;JcY iµ l'il'()v~tn;~ l 988.

Her .disciplm~ry ~gf:):rq kctµ~~s a private a.Cl.monition ln 19.~3.. tor not/having;;:~L
-W.ritt¢n ~Ql1;ti1l~pcy.,f~e ~eem~nt ancl a:-private ~~~~#~l;l;b:l ~.0..()1 fQf°
.-~n~giri~:in ex.parte'.·oorttmµp~¢~~qp;§· W;tt:n..!.~jajJ;tig¢.~, ..:Q!l a~~m~ l?.~ 2.0:02):,

-apposmg:_cquµ~~i i~ t\.PtPP.~'t(t~~~@ filed.:a.}>ar,e{l~plamt:ag?tinst~Rohetts:•.. ~--

-l(f;l~ .:FUe. 1~$$'3.Q.. E!or- te,aa0:ns··not.:pert1nent here, thei~::tn.g~f'W.a~r-p~~~~l. m.

~b~ya:nce::.ancf.no.fotmal cha:rg~-.W~ evet ~:tJO.Cl hY.:.theJnqilify Comm.issfon..

.This 2009. cc>~p~~fnt~ h¢Jq JI). a;b,eyanPe> wol;llcl later cause:"a- substantial d~lay
                                             :.·.                                                          ,

jl'.l; ..~·P..¢rtS1' e-ur:l'.ent:J;~ffo.r.t tQ l:>e:r.elnstated.,_ and: that del'ay, 1s"?{k~~~.t,f.~-tot

rti<:i.tiv.atir\g.the-'Boavd~s·:r.eaommenda~ . ~t.<> ·~~mpt:J~p,Q.~(~ ft'.9m .:p~y;.:n:~::tJie;

costs reiated.·t~~s:,_,~yeted; t.b¢' busme~~·r;s.ip':oots1de her tifficel

ri,().'.t.ifi.eQ.. tbe· n~.~sacy: CQ:uits and::clients:-~f;her·:su$pensk>n,. a;r.id; ~b.'.tain.¢.d ~
. ;,~pproprlate.bert$,,si.tbmitted to the:J~J3A.:an,Afiiaavit\iar·
Rei:P:$tatement ,a.an· Cornplianee.pi:rtsuanf to SCR=S1:5t~t~J.                              Th~''¢1-ff!:t;.¢:·:t)f~~r.

Counsel -filed.an::obj~tj~~ to.4~.9i?~~':r~J~~t.i~¢.nt 91'f .M~ 19., ~Ol4·~, $CR
                                                                 \

a. .:5:10(2).t~ciuirea. th~t,5.ar 1Couns:el., wben ebJec~g to reinstatement~ .m~f·
d¢tail /'§Uch tnftirmatioa.,as,may:existto:tnti;ic~te.t~t.:th~ ~~mb~t:does:-~9t,>t\t.

·tna.i fim~.~·p(J~s,,,sum~~~tPt:~~.~9~ai ~P-~J:>iliu~~:~g._qu~~u9n$
                                           .            ..                               :

;p.t4P,~l,'.':ly"tt>::~~eW.e.''tj,)¢ J;itil:>lfo,.a~   an ao:niV,,e: pr:a~fitfoner0 or;1s,,nol:of g;ood.,,moral
-character./' .As.J~ro.unds for i'fs:o&jectlan~,"Jg~ C,01.;trt~~;:Sta.~~::: ~P.~~4¢:r+t:~~
the·$ubj~ct'.O.f '.peptjj.xl'.g=tiij;,¢iplme~ Tbetef~pl~t~Kai\ EU~, 183Sfi~,~ held~;frt
abeya11.ce.... Oi:rA.pril 11;,,,?20}4;,..three .weeks info>RObe&; servieeref'tile 6·t:~~
                                                                     1

·suspension;; Ba.t:eo.unsei mqveci ·ti).· r$ume ~Citioif,O.P, -~ fl.1~:1$~6. Th~
Jn.(lµifyberts tu~.~~t~=h~4.~9:m~¢t:i>~Pth-¢.~':~tto.rntw- .~ ~us.·=e.cmrt; .
                1

  :prq$:'."e¢.ttiqg~l ·~µgge~Una '.tha.t!~Qbeds w.as.=,e~d tn.A:he unau~i&e£i: ptaetjc~

   oflaw=durlng:.tllis.:exfension of her= ~~p~~~oiti ~b~t'.t.~"·4.mmd ~a.·t:.$h¢~·~d.
   en~a:ged :in the=.P.tac:ti~. ofJ~~- .:Pofutiug:ou~·:~t::she ij,tt-end~d. ~couri.

   pro~ ,<8;s a.1:tQn:-attom~ySP<:iat:Securlif A'dmin1$tratiott ·t•re~~~1i!Y.~~

  .Qn S.ep.t~mber·"..!6:~ 2lJlS~ ·the:ln:qufry' <:lo~•si~U;:-4~W.~~$'.¢.q '.t~'.·@mt.?.Ui;W.J MP:

   cl~d:ld3A:F.1te 2i3.2?'5:witho.Ut,Ule'i#\~itioii af·an,y=',dj&~pline agaittst . •beits.
   Q11 ·~@t~ntP.f1r' ~5, ~.()J:~/tll~fQQQ9.::'fJ:~·:cPnWTuiiri'frused to: 'bat :Rcber:ts;;
   auwm~tic reinstatement to the pr-antic.e ofiawff:UJ.d. ~~~1¥: $~:;y~{t:af~r::~~.
.. File: i:si3o-itiling, ~as .retrolved/wi~ ~Jl't:ivt;tt~ ~~~ui.&q,.f:'f.Q.~: . a ~if>latioi.l.-~f;SJ.~R

   3.130.(t~ll:l~:->~t~omey ~!;i,~,p~qygte ~p.e:t~Jit,:r.epre$entatio~J.

          ~Me.ariwni1¢~ the:·,6~h·da:r. ,su~pen'Sio:n,.i'deemed. ·h:y thls:=C~l.ittt.Z~ P.~P~t

   puaislunent·far ·Robertsf"tran~gressibit. {#, .~::ml~ :174,;1.i,.'i#,~~:w~)J;.in,w.;Jt.s:
   eighteenth month, with.·~Qbert"~'. appllcaaon fo:f.reinstatement:awaitmg
                                                              ·:     .
 Character'and .Fi~$$':,g.oW,nitt~ee.'w~::ri;otJnfonned :thaiiherei/W'as..rt() 10,nger:~

41$.tjplin~i:Y tt!atter· pen.cU~~:·so-that her applic~ti«:>J;l'f~.r r.e.~~~1:¢:metilP-Q41~
 pr-0ce~.

         ltventu~ll)f,.,$,t•·go1:).ef:t~'r@tj.u¢$t.~/tbe·;Character'atid.,~itnesa·~tt.~

 heJ,~:.:a ~n~ ~n her ApPlication fbr ·aeiiis~t~µi.¢tl'.~-·1l14m~?\J¥ ~~1:l7•. 'th~,

·Committee·;coneluded ~;R~:b~rtJ~ na;4:t:Q.et.:a.i1 ,ij~ssa:ty'P.rerequ1sif:es aad
 quaiiiic~tj(;)l'lS: tbr't~i.nstatement; and.":it:-recommended tci the ·aol:zyq Qf Qq'7'.~m'.d,r~·

tb,;¢)\pptov~l- ·C>I:~oberfa~~· appifoationfot t~~$.tt.\~w~t,~ aat. 'GP@seldjd not.,.

:;~enge
     ··.. ,: thattr.ecomme:ndatfu,n~.
                           .. .............
                                     ,•:   ,,.,.,.,_

         gµ ·lv.l:~ l9;; ;$.~fl 1.~~th~/E.J.pa;cctlss.ued:':fts Find1rtg&;ef.l?~:t~i0P.~cl.~$iop¢,=Gt
 Law, ancl:~eo_ommendation aecep.tin,g:th(:r@~rnittf:~f.~ t~~¢rt~~ti9n= tllat.
~Roberts    be :teirista~ to. ~ pyt~cti~e 9fJa.,V.( m~tttck,y:;-;~nibj®t·.ta,;her
att~nd..rul,pe=a,t .tfie, I<~J\:~~hEthfos an~t !>r:atessionaiisfif Erthaffcettie~t. ~rtl#.?i4f~:
                    .                                  ,
::f3y:a vO'.te .ofll to 6:,. the::Board re<;iuemct···tfl.~ )l~b,~,~~::'~qµJf:e.9.. :tQ pay··:~nO:.
 CO$ts   pursuanf. to '.$Cf{ a:•.SlQ\l:).tn: lighfof":~he SU-~tan:t.iaJ. de~:·ift;proce.ssfag':

her'a:ppJ~ca1i9.l1.:\till,~     to @;~•plac¢.#lefit~Q.fRSA. File· 'f.S$$6 in at>ey.anceL~ve~:,~~$~·
~9'.tl¢.rt~',<>PJ¢(;;.ti()n;"   ·T.be;.SPt. members -vot!ng aPst t4.¢·*~t.-~c~eq. "il'.i$t.~~~
.(or Mr,s~ )!bberts t0'be;allooa~d ()~Jy;~J:>-f~ ®§t~~-9f'Ui.:¢',~t6¢e,e-Qings;;~ The:
· Board,·'ahro::.tegqmgt~~~··w.~t.lic(tieft$..·pe:J:i.l:sWY'~.n~omage.d.jto:seek::·out\,one·:;~
m~r.e,.pt:acti~:~etito~s. Xli~ oriW-~iss.ue.:=:before·:us-"in tfu~ :ttVi¢W:::i~~'.:~· ~9:~$.iell:~· .
chal.leyige·t<>··th~ iaoanfs:·-recommenda~q~ ~t;'Rtjl.1~~~ nqt)±;,~,,~$$.e$~ :f.;0$~. itt.

c9nn,~ctiQn      with her :r.ein-s~ternent•.
                                                 . ANALY$J$
                                             ~n~·..
                                             ....     ,.   .   .. . . . . ,   .

        1:Ja;r GlP.1il:l.s¢tagrees with--alf~recommendatlans,:~f.'th,~-~.t?'atil.,¢~~Pt~:fb.c;>·
w~!ver <;>f the, a.s.seS:stnentot'costts.~ .·~¢o:un~bcqnt~ds''th.0;t:an· exem.J.?tkln

·rrom the·~ymf''c~t~'.-~~;:tj(it:~utl1Qtize.d:by.=&e r:t,?plibab1e::supreme:C61:.ltt·
Rwe!~. · $~tjfi.~~),J3~ CQ:unsel·relies·.upon>SCR ?;~t~fil:"Whi~b;:.~t~J iP;

·~pertinent· part~

         The pitectot -~ljaU..ti9t a;q¢eP.t:a.P. appli,~ation !ot :filing unless:.. alt

         bond.:Jjf,:$2Son.oo., ,,~ffll t1.iJ4i.qoifla{ ~$f&,JiifU be)f!aid
                                                                     .
                                                                           J,y.A.p,plicr.u.tt.
                                                                            ······ .,.
                                                                                    ,..

(:Emr>h.~sis. ~A~¢d.)

         .~<)betts· paid . Jn,.adV.an.ce. the::fees:.req~d to ~~titit~·tli,e' te~pplie~Ql't'

process and: she p~~~4. ·~~ h9:lJ~-~¢qtlj~e.~t·:e<>;;¢Q.Y.¢r"~dditional :~osfstµ,l?: to:.
:$,2"500.90.•. ·~tw:·Qi}~ q&s~· -;,tt :~t.~¢. h~~-: are-,:tn.~.:liltipald costs. ordinaiilly·"t~p;·        .,

ft9ri'l the :b~d amf th.e.:additfonakcostS:fiot -co'.Vet~ :by"t\il,~:1>9'.li#·~'

        J3ar· Cbunsel:at;gttes tb~t tiotbJrjg :ii-t ~e~~~ :;$.,:s::t©'('.l).'.Jtn~l!e.&···that.the
pay,nient:c>f"costs is:::cU$¢t:etiorurry. Inc¢ffect;.J3ar Coun.sef ~es'that the
phr~~¢~ '"~p~ts Will b,~;.:~~(;t b~;4p,plicant/ is a:.commandftoifi''w~¢t>; ~!§.. Ct>utt
P.,$,:$..:1¢.ft:.ltfSelf..µ,o.dlscre:tkur::eo,d:eVfat~ e~ wh~ ~¢$$·.atit;t.J~~tic.¢ q¢114and.
otherwise:. We'disagr¢¢-. ·'We_.~tit~tP.t~:t<:».W. S)J:~~~ :Go1U±,;Rute.s. in accordance•
·witht~¢:lf.J>lajrt·IatjgU~ge.· :$t4tg'e.Qn:::ih Ocn:~mt he.bit.uat:~~µ;P,n pitMtU~:

1;(!P:dency qr:t~U$p.~~I):;" ~d ~aJ::~t.q,~*F.j~$'.:fU;t.urit.y•~·

              .b~.:co.ntext~: $CR,:$~:S1~Q:,(l}.~s:us~,:6r::~W111"                                        ci'.>nrt()t~......,,.,,,..'.J}"'"P.,. ·sw....... ·""f"-+t.,....... ·a:i:~,.,...,f, ;,o;;~. .,.w.,.t"'" ~'"'t ...... :;...,. ..,...._,e, ·u·''"· · . . ,.,;:,,.,
       . ~tua·:l~· 11:
lla · ·· ·'               Ii.~¥};!!~ Jl.~~J,~ y .• ~£.~,p~.:...;·~~+;l.'i'~-!',:~. ~,!,.. ,1.'J.:~tSr.. l.§; ~~ \!f.£.. ,. '.,~µ~:

'''·o .... · .Of,.,...v. ............., ,. . . ,.,. ., · '+-'th" " 1 :. · ..... A.. • ......,.
G ~~~ .. ~' .~flt$,. w~ ~.e.e;\~i.b~1ttt th~t¢.it~~t~~~~Wiil'ii§fup~l:
~:dev.iatiO~ .(ro.rn cl+at~~~c.t~~,;a.nd.sow.e:.een:tlnn:Mw'tlaat                                                                                   thia··ea.urt
r~tains··the'.discr:etiorr,;fo:d~parl(from.,the::'eustom:~·dlt:e:ctive>>!bt'·filloca~~:

00sts when f~ntes$ and Jtiatice scr.#.<19.ii'.~.
              :I3'Et.r (;!.9µ:P..~l.·~s~J?®t~rt&$. t:l\fA'ftbe ;Bp~'}~~¢te~ c.>.utsiji¢.'the $P«;:>p~,:df:its.,.
auth9ri'ty' .iti..vio.latfun. .Qf SQR. 3~$t;q(3) w·hen~lt:reqµestectJiol>~$1· exemption
from costs. SCR;~$£5;i·ot~) .proVides~.'in·r~le~t~~~:"~ffBo~;.;~hg!J: re~~
·tipp~_tiQ~;::{fQt;··temst-atemeri~];·to,:the:;Ccmrl. ~;'

          We.do not ;agree'.:wltfi; a~·9~~e$. ~P:t~m:?t:~~tiqn'. qftb.:~:-:@.n of-~ ·al>,;plieatlon ~for·.reinstatement'., ·Thed{~~ ~~

AS.soc1ation..is:tht,-;;orgah~cm~ e$t~bt~sh¢4 i:lY. rµ.~ QftbitfQou~t:t;~,,~:'Q:Ut:ita.

cotwtl:t:tJtj®aj m•rJ.a.~¢ tQ "~ov~ adm~sfun·t<1·the; haztand"the:di$cl~lirte of

,rt.iem~~:::Qf .the bar~#;,   :'.Ky. :Const ~ 116f;.accora:~s 2't~~il·®~: ·-t~!:·a~:Q;t'
$9vernor.s o£·the. Ken~~:~~~~~¢~~()'.~ i$:·¢~M1;i~                ~,qµt;:f:u~~'.tt® of
go,y~:ng th¢. beµ- oftbi$:~~te., ·and~- welco:rnttthe:fnJ.lu.f:oftllat bo~. Jbe.

B.oard'$ .recemmendatians relevant.to the.~st.dfspo$i.1:fun·'·~:.rzn~MjµAAY·
matters cat1>a$~i;~~:~~ ~~~t~;tt.tiii: 4~~mis:·~ ~p~t~ma~=:-.t~$P.lUtieQ..;tq ,S.\lch:
:tnijtt¢t;$;,:

         We m:ak~no·findin~~-·1mtl.we:reaefr .ntt:cottC1usfiitf~.1 :s-y:gg¢~:~ ~..~'t'~
CQ:un~La~ted..fmpr~rly'·<)r ·<>,th~$e ~ct~~ In b~d.ia.iU:fi;ia='9.Ppqs~:l~obett$.~

aUfonuitic; ,t~lJl$,~~¢nt¢11.;ti '·N¢:V.eith~l¢$$,. i~ ¢~Otbe ci~med.:thatJ.tob.e:t,tst
teiti§.l~tero¢nf!t1m>.win~: ~ ~;1.,(foy·~u·ensrothtook .far too }Qng~- ·i'he ~ntJiJ'

which fa:ult.Jor:tha:t;,:rests With:a:partftlMm-'':4~N~~~:,:ot ~e,:m~f~~~:Q~~~ ~r,
Bat-AtimiSsion~,      this ¢«~turfs: ~ji,'O.r'Wit.l).R<)~~ ~~~ -~. . a.Jmt.tt~Y ~~ dP.
~fit a·
 the·.pta:ctictf.6{'l~Wl?.¢ ·~pp_r.9V.~~~ P.4.e .tp t® ~enuafuig Oit-0umstances:
·4¢S¢tll:>cd ~boW!, . We: IindJt a}lpropriate ;":;the·''exer¢i$e.:ar:d~s··r.e.questLto exempt ~o~~r~·ftom'tne.. :f.~~ttt oJiadditihna..l oo$ts
 incurred l;Y: th¢ ~f.\· in; b¢f.J~ei:nS:~t~ment process~
                                                                                                            .....

        lt is.:tnere.f:ore ORDERED!
 1. N~GY. Oliver t~'~Q.~ "f>t~~¢.e ffl;ent(j~s~

 3. ii"Sh.e,has:net at~y. ~9.l.1<¥·:;~~::'~~~rt$:,~h~U:·¢~l'ltm~l)~ het·attendance and
                                                                                           ·~   ~·

 l:l~tt.~::i;>~P,¢~P.~li~           iri:tAe KBA>,~ Etnies: aad:,J;T-0fessfona1i$rn~·m4~¢.¢,~t
 &Q&izam.·

 4·; No additional C.9~~$. ~.hajl :P~ f,\$~~.$$~ '~~ihstRdl-iert$. t'PJt ~ proceeding:
 ~A,th{f$~gfaittii.)g,

                                      . ,...,..... ·····t.;.·- d ·i');A;1·· l!*i.
         ,~   'l"'C'D:~o·

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               .•. . .   : .:;, '1\'t
                                 .it10.v.el)lµv.J\~:,.:,.o:v    .· ·.·    . c.                       ··•.

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