NOTICE OF REVOCATION AND RESTITUTION Case No. 95-223-GA Ruth E. Johnson, P-39361, Detroit, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #19.
1) Revocation; 2) Effective January 24, 1996. The panel found, by default, that respondent engaged in the following misconduct in seeking to obtain an inmate's release from jail: She prepared, or caused to be prepared, a Writ of Habeas Corpus for the release of the inmate into her custody and without the authority to do so, signed the name of a Recorder's Court judge to the writ; presented the writ to a recordkeeper for the correctional facility and, based on the fraudulent document, sought the inmate's release into her custody; misrepresented to the recordkeeper at the facility that the inmate's presence was necessary for a hearing before a Wayne County Circuit Court Judge; after the recordkeeper noted that the purported writ lack a Recorder's Court seal, respondent took back the writ and falsely represented that she would have it stamped by the Court. She never returned to the facility with the writ.
Respondent was retained and paid $250 to institute proceedings in a civil rights matter. The complainant later paid respondent an additional $1,300. The panel found, by default, that respondent neglected the matter; failed to return the unused portion of the fees; and failed to return the complainant's files to her. Respondent also failed to answer the Requests for Investigation, failed to answer the Formal Complaint and failed to appear at the disciplinary hearing.
Respondent's conduct was found to be in violation of MCL 750.183; 750.248; 750.249; MCR 9.103(C); MCR 9.104(1)-(5)and(7); MCR 9.113(A)and(B)(2); and Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1.(c); 1.3; 1.4; 1.5(a); 1.15(b); 1.16(d); 3.2; 3.4(b); 8.1(b); and 8.4(a)and(c). The panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law be revoked and that she make restitution to the complainant in the amount of $1,550. Costs were assessed in the amount of $163.04.
NOTE: Respondent has been suspended from the practice of law in Michigan continuously since June 13, 1995.