NOTICE OF SUSPENSION and NOTICE OF AUTOMATIC REINSTATEMENT
Case No. 01-56-GA Notice Issued: July 31, 2002 Hon. Susan R. Chrzanowski, P-48846, Warren, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #105.
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Suspension - 90 Days; Effective April 1, 2002.
Automatic Reinstatement; Effective July 1, 2002.
On April 9, 2001, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission ("JTC") filed its decision and recommendation for order of discipline with the clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court that respondent be suspended from the performance of her judicial duties as a judge in the 37th District Court for a period of one year. In accordance with MCR 9.116(B) and (C), the Grievance Administrator filed a formal complaint with the Attorney Discipline Board based upon the JTC's recommendation on April 23, 2001. The matter was held in abeyance pending the decision of the Supreme Court.
On December 28, 2001, the Supreme Court entered an order adopting the findings and conclusions of the JTC that, while a judge, respondent improperly appointed counsel; failed to disclose those appointments; and made false statements to the police in violation of the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct, Canons 2(A) and (C); and Canon 3(B)(4). The Court also adopted the recommendation of the JTC that respondent be suspended for a period of one year, but modified the suspension to give respondent credit for six months of her 17 month interim suspension. Consequently, the Court ordered that the effective date of the remainder of respondent's suspension would commence January 1, 2002 and end June 30, 2002.
Public hearings were held by the Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #105. The panel accepted respondent's plea of no contest to the allegations that she assigned 56 criminal matters to an attorney she was romantically involved with, and that she knowingly failed to disclose to the parties her relationship with that attorney, in violation of MCR 9.104(1)-(4); 9.205(C)(4); Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(a) and (c); and Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct Canons 1, 2 and 3. Further, the panel found that respondent made a false statement to the police during their investigation of a homicide, in violation of MCR 9.104(3).
The panel ordered that respondent be suspended for 90 days, effective April 1, 2002, with costs assessed in the amount of 874.39.
In accordance with MCR 9.123(A), respondent=s suspension was terminated with her filing of an affidavit of compliance with the clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court on July 1, 2002.