Court Opinion

ID: 9582359
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:25:43.213894+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:42.029366
License: Public Domain

Benham, Justice,
dissenting.
Although I agree with the majority that Vaughn’s choice to act *297dishonestly in an effort to conceal a negligent act demands punishment, I do not agree that a full year’s suspension is the appropriate sanction for his wrongful behavior. As the special master noted, Vaughn was experiencing personal and professional difficulties at the time he was faced with admitting a professional failing. Specifically, a marriage he had tried to save for the sake of his two children was failing again; maintaining a law practice established by his mentor, who died one year after Vaughn entered the practice, had become a struggle; and an office employee had stolen money from the practice. Faced with an embarrassing failure to perform services he should have performed, Vaughn made the wrong choice, dishonesty rather than disclosure. While the difficulties he was experiencing do not justify Vaughn’s misbehavior, they provide a rational basis for the special master’s recommendation of a six-month suspension. In addition, it must be noted that no harm to Vaughn’s client resulted from either his negligent failure to ensure the filing of the deed or his dishonest effort to conceal that negligence, and that no fraudulent documents were submitted to any court.
Decided June 24, 2002.
William P. Smith III, General Counsel State Bar, K. Gene Chapman, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia.
Beltran & Associates, Douglas V. Chandler, for Vaughn.
Special masters are appointed in cases such as this one to consider the evidence, find facts, and recommend a resolution of the matter. In this case, the special master had an opportunity to hear from Vaughn and to gauge his sincerity. Having heard from Vaughn, the special master was in a better position than any other person or entity involved in this matter to make an informed judgment regarding the proper level of punishment needed to deter Vaughn from such misbehavior in the future. Under the circumstances of this case, this Court should give the special master’s recommendation greater weight. For that reason, I would adopt the recommendation of the special master that Vaughn be suspended for six months, subject to the conditions set out by the special master. Because the majority is imposing a needlessly harsh sanction, I must dissent.