NOTICE OF REVOCATION AND RESTITUTION Case No. 97-226-GA William B. Cope, P-12216, St. Clair Shores, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #105.
1) Revocation; 2) Effective January 28, 1998. Respondent was appointed successor conservator in a conservatorship estate in Macomb County Probate Court and, upon the ward's death, was appointed personal representative of the decedent estate in Wayne County Probate Court. Respondent entered a plea of no contest to allegations that he neglected both estates; misappropriated approximately $240,000 from the conservatorship estate and commingled estate funds with his personal funds; and filed five annual accounts in the estates which were false and were known by him to be false at the time of filing.
In a separate matter, respondent was appointed temporary personal representative in another decedent estate in Wayne County Probate Court. Respondent entered a plea of no contest to allegations that he neglected the matter; misappropriated approximately $49,000 from the estate and commingled estate funds with his personal funds; and filed three annual accounts in the estate which were false and were known by him to be false at the time of filing.
Respondent entered a plea of no contest to charges that his conduct violated MCR 9.104(1)-(4); and Michigan Rules of Profes- sional Conduct 1.1(c); 1.2(a); 1.3; 1.15(a)-(c); 3.2; 3.3(a)(1) and (4); 4.1; and 8.4(a)-(c).
The panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law in Michigan be revoked effective January 28, 1998, the date of the final disciplinary hearing, and that he make restitution to the estates in the total amount of $319,792.14 plus interest. Costs were assessed in the amount of $1,036.32.