NOTICE OF REPRIMAND Case No. 97-94-GA Issued: July 25, 2000 Joseph W. Moch, P 23792, E. Grand Rapids, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board affirming an order of Kent County Hearing Panel #5.
1.Reprimand. 2.Effective July 18, 2000. Respondent was the subject of a request for investigation filed by a former client in a personal injury matter. The hearing panel found that, although respondent filed an answer to the request for investigation, he failed to honor a legitimate request by the Attorney Grievance Commission to produce a copy of the retainer agreement and that his failure to comply with the Grievance Administrator=s request for information not protected by MRPC 1.6 constituted a violation of MCR 9.104 (1)-(4), MCR 9.113, MCR 9.103(C) and Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 8.1(b) and 8.4(a)-(c). The hearing panel ordered a reprimand, noting that respondent had no prior record of misconduct.
The Grievance Administrator and respondent filed petitions for review with the Attorney Discipline Board. The Board vacated the hearing panel=s findings of misconduct under MCR 9.103(C), MCR 9.113 and MRPC 8.4(b) but otherwise affirmed the hearing panel=s report on misconduct and its decision to impose a reprimand. The Grievance Administrator=s motion for reconsideration was denied by the Attorney Discipline Board in an order entered March 24, 2000. The respondent=s application for leave to appeal was denied by the Supreme Court in an order entered July 18, 2000.
Costs were assessed in the amount of $3,800.39.