Court Opinion

ID: 9665383
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:46:58.814302+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:15.230874
License: Public Domain

*793RENNER, District Judge,
concurring.
I join with Judge Magnuson and concur in the foregoing findings and order. I do this, however, solely because we, as a court, have not adopted a per se rule providing for disbarment of any attorney convicted of a felony for actions committed within the scope of his or her legal practice. Cf. In re Goldman, 124 Ariz. 105, 602 P.2d 486 (1979) (felony conviction is conclusive evidence of facts establishing lack of fitness to practice law); People v. McGonigle, 198 Colo. 315, 600 P.2d 61 (1979) (use of professional status to commit felony demands disbarment); N.Y.Jud.Law § 90, subd. 4 (McKinney 1983) (any attorney convicted of a felony is automatically disbarred).
Such felonious wrongdoing betrays the very oath admitting one to membership in the bar. As cited in the memorandum, there is no vested right to practice law. In re Isserman, 345 U.S. at 289, 73 S.Ct. at 677. The public has the right to expect impeccable standards of professional responsibility of all who would comprise the bar.
When an attorney betrays this trust, society at large is injured. The privilege to practice must yield to the public’s expectations of honesty and integrity.