in the Matter of Rand J. Csehy ( 2014 )


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  • In the Supreme Court of Georgia
    Decided:     October 6, 2014
    S14Y1458. IN THE MATTER OF RAND J. CSEHY.
    PER CURIAM.
    Rand J. Csehy (State Bar No. 604410) pled nolo contendere to two counts
    of possession of controlled substances, OCGA § 16-13-30, and one count of
    possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, OCGA § 16-11-106.
    He was sentenced as a first offender to two years probation each on the drug
    charges (concurrent) and five years, suspended, on the firearm charge. Csehy
    filed a petition for voluntary discipline seeking a one-to-two-year suspension for
    his admitted violation of Rule 8.4 (a) (2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional
    Conduct, see Bar Rule 4-102 (d). In his petition, Csehy states that he was
    personally affected by the 2005 Brian Nichols courtroom shooting and, as a
    result, turned to alcohol and drugs. He went through rehabilitation in 2009, but
    in 2011 he was brutally attacked by a former client and suffered severe injuries,
    after which his addictions reasserted themselves. Csehy always had carried at
    least one firearm on his person or in his vehicle. In 2012 he made arrangements
    to bring illegal drugs to a woman he believed he knew, but it was part of a sting
    operation and Csehy was arrested and charged with several drug and firearm
    violations. Csehy underwent treatment with a psychiatrist, joined Alcoholics
    Anonymous, and sought treatment from the State Bar’s Lawyer Assistance
    Program. As conditions of his probation, Csehy is subject to random drug and
    alcohol testing. Csehy acknowledges that a violation of Rule 8.4 (a) (2) may be
    punished by disbarment, but he notes that it is not an absolute penalty for such
    actions where there are mitigating circumstances supporting the imposition of
    a suspension rather than disbarment, see, e.g., In the Matter of Waldrop, 
    283 Ga. 80
     (656 SE2d 529) (2008) (24-month suspension for first offender plea to felony
    possession of controlled substance); In the Matter of Patteson, 
    262 Ga. 591
     (423
    SE2d 248) (1992) (30-month suspension for felony violation of Controlled
    Substances Act). Csehy sets forth several mitigating factors, which he asserts
    justify a lesser sanction in his case. He states that he has no prior disciplinary
    history other than a private reprimand five years ago (the State Bar explains that
    in 2010 Csehy received a Formal Letter of Admonition for violating Rule 1.15
    (II) regarding his IOLTA account) or other criminal history, see Patteson, 
    262 Ga. at 591
    ; his actions caused no harm to his clients or law practice, see
    2
    Waldrop, 283 Ga. at 80, and he has stopped taking clients and is assisting his
    existing clients in finding suitable representation; he has displayed a cooperative
    attitude by voluntarily submitting to counseling, rehabilitation and random drug
    screening, see Patteson, 
    262 Ga. at 591
    , Waldrop, 283 Ga. at 80-81; and he has
    assumed responsibility for his actions by disclosing his convictions to clients
    and winding down his practice and is remorseful, as shown by his willingness
    to submit to rehabilitation programs, see In the Matter of Calhoun, 
    268 Ga. 877
    (494 SE2d 335) (1998) (six-month suspension for pleading guilty to serious
    injury by vehicle and DUI); Waldrop, 283 Ga. at 81. Csehy points out that a 24-
    month suspension in the face of multiple convictions is not unprecedented, see
    In the Matter of Caroway, 
    279 Ga. 381
     (613 SE2d 610) (2005) (drug charges
    and DUI). Csehy admits that his proposed suspension is shorter than his
    imposed probation, but again references Caroway and Waldrop for that not
    being unprecedented in light of extensive mitigating factors.
    Despite Csehy’s recitation of these mitigating factors, recent events that
    have occurred since the filing of Csehy’s petition indicate that he is apparently
    still representing clients and that his rehabilitation might not have been
    successful. This Court has received a report indicating that, on September 15,
    3
    2014, Csehy appeared in the Superior Court of Cobb County as counsel for a
    defendant in a jury trial. The trial court noticed that Csehy had bloodshot eyes,
    was perspiring profusely, and was unable to stand without leaning on
    something. As a result, the trial court ordered Csehy to submit to immediate
    drug testing which showed that he had cocaine and amphetamines in his system.
    Based on the test results, the trial court held Csehy in contempt and had him
    incarcerated for five days.
    The State Bar filed a response objecting to Csehy’s petition and
    recommending that the Court reject his request for a one-to-two-year
    suspension. Subsequently, the State Bar has filed additional material from the
    recent proceedings in Cobb County. The State Bar asserts that Csehy’s
    conviction involved not only possession of controlled substances, but also
    possession of a loaded firearm during the commission of a crime, which
    provided the substantial potential for violence given the number of guns Csehy
    routinely had in his possession during the time he admittedly was impaired. In
    addition, the State Bar notes that Csehy never submitted medical documents in
    his petition to prove that he had overcome any dependency on drugs, and it
    further submits that the September 2014 drug test in Cobb County shows that
    4
    Csehy’s drug addiction is both serious and ongoing. Because the purpose of
    lawyer discipline is to act as “a penalty to the offender, a deterrent to others and
    as an indication to laymen that the courts will maintain the ethics of the
    profession,” In the Matter of Dowdy, 
    247 Ga. 488
    , 493 (277 SE2d 36) (1981),
    and because “[t]he appearance of a convicted attorney continuing to practice
    does more to disrupt public confidence in the legal profession than any other
    discipline problem,” In the Matter of Stoner, 
    246 Ga. 581
    , 582 (
    272 Ga. 313
    )
    (1980), the State Bar argues that a suspension of one or two years for Csehy’s
    criminal conduct will disrupt public confidence and fails to adequately protect
    the public.
    We have reviewed the record and the parties’ submissions, and agree with
    the State Bar that the requested one or two-year suspension is inadequate in light
    of the crimes for which Ceshy was convicted, his prior disciplinary action, see
    Rule 4-208, evidence that Csehy’s problems are continuing, and the fact that his
    requested suspension is shorter than the imposed probation, see In the Matter of
    Richbourg, 
    293 Ga. 576
     (748 SE2d 460) (2013). Accordingly, we reject Ceshy’s
    petition for voluntary discipline.
    Petition for voluntary discipline rejected. All the Justices concur.
    5
    

Document Info

Docket Number: S14Y1458

Filed Date: 10/6/2014

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 3/3/2016