NOTICE OF SUSPENSION (By Consent)
Case No. 00-161-GA Notice Issued: February 26, 2001 Horace D. Cotton, P-33268, Detroit, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #31.
1. Suspension - 1 Year; 2. Effective February 26, 2001. The respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed a stipulation for a consent order of discipline in accordance with MCR 9.115(F)(5). The stipulation was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by the hearing panel. The respondent offered a plea of no contest to the charges of misconduct in Formal Complaint 00-161-GA, specifically: In a personal injury case in which a lien had been filed against the proceeds of any settlement, respondent failed to maintain sufficient funds in his client trust account to pay the lien; misappropriated the funds designated for payment of the lien; and failed to satisfy the lien until after the matter was brought to the attention of the Attorney Grievance Commission.
Respondent=s conduct was found to be in violation of MCR 9.104(1)-(4); and Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15(a)-(c) and 8.4(a)-(c). The hearing panel ordered that respondent=s license to practice law be suspended for one year. Costs were assessed in the amount of $116.53.