NOTICE OF REPRIMAND Case No. 91-23-GA Miles J. Purcell, P19136, Saginaw, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board vacating a hearing panel order of suspension for 30 days.
1) Reprimand; 2) Effective October 27, 1992. The hearing panel found that the allegations of professional misconduct contained in counts one through four of the formal complaint were established by a preponderance of the evidence. Counts five through seven were dismissed.
Respondent was retained to represent three individuals in related traffic offenses, but entered pleas of responsibility for two of his clients without their knowledge or consent; advised the court that those two clients understood the charges against them and the consequences of their pleas; failed to keep those two clients informed concerning the status of the cases; and affixed the signatures of those two clients to the pleas of responsibility without their knowledge or consent.
The panel found that respondent's conduct was in violation of MCR 9.104(1-5); and Canons 1, 6 and 7 of the then-applicable Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 1-102(A)(1,3,6); DR 6-101(A)(3); DR 7-101(A)(1-3); DR 7-102(A)(5,8).
On June 10, 1992, Genesee County Hearing Panel #1 entered an order suspending respondent's license for a period of thirty days. Respondent filed a petition for review seeking modification of the panel's findings and conclusions, and a reduction in the discipline imposed. On October 5, 1992, the Attorney Discipline Board entered an order vacating the panel's conclusions that respondent's conduct violated MCR 9.104(5) and DR 1-102(A)(3); otherwise affirming the findings and conclusions of the panel; and vacating the suspension and imposing a reprimand. Costs were assessed in the amount of $1050.13.