Court Opinion

ID: 9379384
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-15 15:08:22.361759+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:41.440484
License: Public Domain

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
                        In The Supreme Court

             In the Matter of Randall DeWitt Williams, Respondent

             Appellate Case No. 2023-000201

                              Opinion No. 28141
               Submitted February 23, 2023 – Filed March 15, 2023

                            DEFINITE SUSPENSION

             Assistant Disciplinary Counsel Kelly B. Arnold and
             Assistant Disciplinary Counsel Jeffrey I. Silverberg, both
             of Columbia, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

             Peter Demos Protopapas and George Michael Pappas, Jr.,
             both of Rikard & Protopapas, LLC of Columbia, for
             Respondent.

PER CURIAM: In this attorney disciplinary matter, Respondent and the Office
of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) have entered into an Agreement for Discipline by
Consent (Agreement) pursuant to Rule 21 of the Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary
Enforcement (RLDE) contained in Rule 413 of the South Carolina Appellate Court
Rules (SCACR). In the Agreement, Respondent admits misconduct and consents
to the imposition of a confidential admonition, a public reprimand, or a definite
suspension of up to ninety-days and agrees to pay costs. We accept the Agreement
and suspend Respondent from the practice of law in this state for ninety days.

                                         I.

On July 30, 2021, Respondent was charged with four misdemeanor counts of
failing to pay state income tax and file state income tax returns for the 2015, 2016,
2017, and 2018 tax years. Respondent timely self-reported his misconduct to
ODC. The total unpaid tax amount was $14,165. Following his arrest, Respondent
filed all outstanding tax returns and paid the taxes owed. On January 18, 2023,
Respondent entered a guilty plea to one misdemeanor count of failing to pay state
income tax and file a return. See S.C. Code Ann. § 12-54-44(B)(3) (providing a
person who "wilfully fails to pay any estimated tax . . . and who wilfully fails to
make a return" is guilty of a misdemeanor). Respondent was fined $125 and
sentenced to time served without probation. Respondent paid the fine on January
23, 2023, successfully completing all conditions of his sentence.

                                         II.

Respondent admits that his conduct violated the following Rules of Professional
Conduct, Rule 407, SCACR: Rule 8.4(b) (prohibiting a crime that reflects
adversely on fitness as a lawyer); and Rule 8.4(e) (prohibiting conduct prejudicial
to the administration of justice). Respondent also admits his conduct is grounds
for discipline under the following Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement,
Rule 413, SCACR: Rule 7(a)(1) (providing a violation of the Rules of Professional
Conduct is a ground for discipline); Rule 7(a)(4) (providing conviction of a serious
crime is a ground for discipline)1; and Rule 7(a)(5) (providing conduct tending to
bring the legal profession into disrepute or conduct demonstrating unfitness to
practice law is a ground for discipline). Respondent agrees to the imposition of a
confidential admonition, public reprimand, or definite suspension up to nine
months and agrees to pay costs.

In his affidavit in mitigation, Respondent explains that beginning in 2012, his
mother's mental and physical health began to deteriorate as her Alzheimer's disease
progressed. Respondent became healthcare power of attorney for both his aging
parents and cared for their needs as best he could while maintaining a busy legal
practice. Respondent admits he turned to alcohol "as an escape" and that he had
become dependent on alcohol during the period of time in which he neglected his
tax responsibilities. Respondent's mother passed away in 2018.

Respondent has been sober since October 29, 2019, when he entered a six-week
inpatient treatment program in Texas. Since completing inpatient treatment,
Respondent continues to regularly attend AA meetings and entered into a one-year
monitoring contract with LHL in August 2021. Respondent also serves as a
mentor to others in recovery, including through AA and speaking to others not
only at events in South Carolina but also at the facility in Texas where he received
inpatient treatment. Respondent has also developed a faith-based approach to

1
  See Rule 2(bb), RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR (defining a "serious crime" as
including the "willful failure to file income tax returns").
overcoming conflict and enhancing mental and emotional well-being, and he has
attended a program focused on restorative practices to resolve conflict.

                                        III.

We hereby accept the Agreement. Although we are sympathetic to Respondent's
personal difficulties, we find a definite suspension is warranted. See, e.g., In re
Ellerbe, 384 S.C. 418, 682 S.E.2d 487 (2009) (imposing a ninety-day suspension
for failure to file tax returns); In re Thornton, 340 S.C. 392, 532 S.E.2d 282 (2000)
(imposing a ninety-day suspension for failure to file tax return); In re Chastain,
327 S.C. 173, 488 S.E.2d 878 (1997) (imposing a ninety-day suspension for failure
to file state income tax returns for several years). Accordingly, we suspend
Respondent from the practice of law in this state for a period of ninety days.

Within fifteen days of the date of this opinion, Respondent shall file an affidavit
with the Clerk of Court showing that he has complied with Rule 30, RLDE, Rule
413, SCACR. Within thirty days, Respondent shall pay the costs incurred in the
investigation and prosecution of this matter by Disciplinary Counsel and the
Commission on Lawyer Conduct.

DEFINITE SUSPENSION.

BEATTY, C.J., KITTREDGE, FEW, JAMES and HILL, JJ., concur.