State ex rel. Counsel for Dis. v. Pearson , 310 Neb. 256 ( 2021 )


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  • Nebraska Supreme Court Online Library
    www.nebraska.gov/apps-courts-epub/
    10/29/2021 01:07 AM CDT
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    Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets
    310 Nebraska Reports
    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
    Cite as 
    310 Neb. 256
    State of Nebraska ex rel. Counsel for Discipline
    of the Nebraska Supreme Court, relator,
    v. Gary R. Pearson, respondent.
    ___ N.W.2d ___
    Filed October 1, 2021.   No. S-20-741.
    Original action. Judgment of suspension.
    Heavican, C.J., Miller-Lerman, Cassel, Stacy, Funke,
    Papik, and Freudenberg, JJ.
    Per Curiam.
    INTRODUCTION
    On October 13, 2020, formal charges containing three counts
    were filed by the office of the Counsel for Discipline of the
    Nebraska Supreme Court, the relator, against the respondent,
    Gary R. Pearson. The respondent filed an answer to the formal
    charges on November 23 and an amended answer on December
    21. A referee was appointed on December 4. On February 19,
    2021, the relator filed amended formal charges consisting of
    four counts, to which the respondent filed an answer on March
    1. The referee conducted a hearing on April 1.
    The referee filed a report on July 6, 2021. With respect to the
    four charges, the referee concluded that through the respond­
    ent’s conduct, he had breached the following provisions of
    the Nebraska Rules of Professional Conduct: Neb. Ct. R. of
    Prof. Cond. §§ 3-501.1 (rev. 2017) (competence), 3-501.5(a)
    (charging unreasonable fee), 3-501.15 (safekeeping funds),
    3-503.3(a)(1) (rev. 2016) (candor toward tribunal); 3-508.1(a)
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    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
    Cite as 
    310 Neb. 256
    (false statements in disciplinary matters), and 3-508.4(a) and
    (c) (rev. 2016) (misconduct). The referee further found that
    the respondent had violated his oath of office as an attorney
    licensed to practice law in the State of Nebraska. See 
    Neb. Rev. Stat. § 7-104
     (Reissue 2012). With respect to the dis-
    cipline to be imposed, the referee recommended suspension
    of the respondent’s license to practice law for a period of
    at least 1 year and up to 2 years. Neither the relator nor the
    respondent filed exceptions to the referee’s report. The rela-
    tor moved for judgment on the pleadings under Neb. Ct. R.
    § 3-310(L) (rev. 2019) of the disciplinary rules. We grant the
    motion for judgment on the pleadings and impose discipline as
    indicated below.
    FACTS
    The respondent was admitted to the practice of law in the
    State of Nebraska on July 2, 1976. At all times relevant to these
    proceedings, he has practiced law in Lincoln, Nebraska.
    The substance of the referee’s findings may be summarized
    as follows: The respondent practiced law since 1976, including
    handling estate matters. The violations arise from the respond­
    ent’s charging and collecting excessive fees in several estate
    matters over a 2-year period and, in at least one instance, mak-
    ing false statements in court pleadings and to the relator related
    to the excessive fees. He also improperly maintained his trust
    account. Most facts are not in dispute in this case and were
    stipulated by the respondent and the relator at trial, or acknowl-
    edged in the respondent’s testimony.
    The referee held a hearing at which the respondent testified
    and evidence was adduced. In a report filed July 6, 2021, the
    referee found that by clear and convincing evidence, through
    the respondent’s conduct, he had breached provisions of the
    Nebraska Rules of Professional Conduct as follows:
    •  With respect to count I, the “Wysong Matter,” the respond­
    ent engaged in misconduct under § 3-508.4(a) and (c) by
    violating §§ 3-501.1 (competence), 3-501.5(a) (unreasonable
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    Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets
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    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
    Cite as 
    310 Neb. 256
    fee), 3-503.3(a)(1) (candor toward tribunal), and 3-508.1(a)
    (false statements in disciplinary matter).
    •  With respect to count II, the “Truax Matter,” the respondent
    engaged in misconduct under § 3-508.4(a) by charging and
    collecting an unreasonable fee in violation of § 3-501.5(a).
    •  With respect to count III, the “Jaunzemis Matter,” the
    respondent engaged in misconduct under § 3-508.4(a) and
    (c) by charging and collecting an unreasonable fee under
    § 3-501.5(a).
    •  With respect to count IV, the “Trust Account Matter,” the
    respondent engaged in misconduct under § 3-508.4(a) by not
    safekeeping client funds in violation of § 3-501.15(b).
    The referee further found that, with regard to each of the
    counts enumerated above, the respondent had violated his oath
    of office as an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of
    Nebraska. See § 7-104.
    With respect to the discipline to be imposed, the referee
    recommended suspension of the respondent’s license to prac-
    tice law for a period of 1 to 2 years. The referee noted in the
    report that the respondent had no prior instances of misconduct
    or discipline, but found that the respondent “was not candid
    with the Referee.” With respect to the respondent’s attitude,
    the referee found that although the respondent “admitted many
    of the allegations, he did so reluctantly, tended to minimize or
    explain away his conduct as error, oversight or carelessness.”
    The referee report acknowledges that the respondent was not
    charged with misappropriation of client funds in the “Wysong
    Matter,” but “[t]he record, however, would amply support such
    a charge had [the relator] seen fit to bring one.”
    In mitigation, the referee noted that the respondent was 72
    to 73 years old at the time of trial and is an honorably dis-
    charged veteran of the U.S. Army who served as a combat
    infantry medic during the Vietnam War. The respondent has
    been a member in good standing with the Nebraska State Bar
    Association since 1976, with no record of prior disciplinary
    actions against him. The respondent offered eight letters of
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    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
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    310 Neb. 256
    support attesting to his good character. He was responsive
    and cooperative with the relator throughout the disciplinary
    investigation.
    ANALYSIS
    A proceeding to discipline an attorney is a trial de novo
    on the record. State ex rel. Counsel for Dis. v. Wolfe, 
    301 Neb. 117
    , 
    918 N.W.2d 244
     (2018). To sustain a charge in a
    disciplinary proceeding against an attorney, a charge must be
    established by clear and convincing evidence. 
    Id.
     Violation of
    a disciplinary rule concerning the practice of law is a ground
    for discipline. 
    Id.
    Based on the record and the undisputed findings of the ref-
    eree, we find that the above-referenced facts have been estab-
    lished by clear and convincing evidence. Based on the forego-
    ing evidence, we conclude that by virtue of the respondent’s
    conduct, the respondent has violated §§ 3-501.1, 3-501.5(a),
    3-501.15, 3-503.3(a)(1), 3-508.1(a), and 3-508.4(a) and (c). We
    specifically conclude that the respondent has violated his oath
    of office as an attorney, see § 7-104. Accordingly, we grant the
    relator’s motion for judgment on the pleadings.
    We have stated that the basic issues in a disciplinary pro-
    ceeding against a lawyer are whether discipline should be
    imposed and, if so, the type of discipline appropriate under
    the circumstances. State ex rel. Counsel for Dis. v. Wolfe,
    
    supra.
     Neb. Ct. R. § 3-304 of the disciplinary rules provides
    that the following may be considered as discipline for attor-
    ney misconduct:
    (A) Misconduct shall be grounds for:
    (1) Disbarment by the Court; or
    (2) Suspension by the Court; or
    (3) Probation by the Court in lieu of or subsequent to
    suspension, on such terms as the Court may designate; or
    (4) Censure and reprimand by the Court; or
    (5) Temporary suspension by the Court; or
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    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
    Cite as 
    310 Neb. 256
    (6) Private reprimand by the Committee on Inquiry or
    Disciplinary Review Board.
    (B) The Court may, in its discretion, impose one or
    more of the disciplinary sanctions set forth above.
    See, also, Neb. Ct. R. § 3-310(N) (rev. 2019).
    With respect to the imposition of attorney discipline in an
    individual case, we evaluate each attorney discipline case in
    light of its particular facts and circumstances. Counsel for Dis.
    v. Wolfe, 
    supra.
     For purposes of determining the proper dis-
    cipline of an attorney, this court considers the attorney’s acts
    both underlying the events of the case and throughout the pro-
    ceeding, as well as any aggravating or mitigating factors. 
    Id.
    To determine whether and to what extent discipline should
    be imposed in an attorney discipline proceeding, this court
    considers the following factors: (1) the nature of the offense,
    (2) the need for deterring others, (3) the maintenance of
    the reputation of the bar as a whole, (4) the protection of the
    public, (5) the attitude of the offender generally, and (6) the
    ­offender’s present or future fitness to continue in the practice
    of law. 
    Id.
    The evidence in the present case establishes there were four
    separate grievances involving several types of misconduct,
    including incompetence, charging an unreasonable fee, con-
    cealing unreasonable fees from clients, making false statements
    in court pleadings and to the relator, and maintaining personal
    funds in a client trust account.
    With respect to the discipline to be imposed, the referee rec-
    ommended suspension of the respondent’s license to practice
    law for a period of 1 to 2 years. No exceptions have been taken
    to this recommendation.
    We have considered the record, the findings which have
    been established by clear and convincing evidence, and the
    applicable law. Upon due consideration, the court finds that the
    range of the referee’s recommendation is appropriate, and we
    hereby impose an 18-month suspension.
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    STATE EX REL. COUNSEL FOR DIS. v. PEARSON
    Cite as 
    310 Neb. 256
    The respondent shall comply with Neb. Ct. R. § 3-316 (rev.
    2014), and upon failure to do so, he shall be subject to punish-
    ment for contempt of this court. The respondent is directed
    to pay costs and expenses in accordance with 
    Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 7-114
     and 7-115 (Reissue 2012), § 3-310(P), and Neb. Ct.
    R. § 3-323(B) within 60 days after an order imposing costs and
    expenses, if any, is entered by this court.
    Judgment of suspension.
    

Document Info

Docket Number: S-20-741

Citation Numbers: 310 Neb. 256

Filed Date: 10/1/2021

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/29/2021