NOTICE OF SUSPENSION ADB 167-89 Stephen E. Morgan, P-28536, Jackson, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board reducing a hearing panel order of suspension of 120 days.
1) Suspension - thirty days; 2) Effective July 21, 1990. The respondent failed to answer the formal complaint and failed to appear at the hearing held in Lansing on December 22, 1989. Respondent's default was entered and the hearing panel determined that the default established the allegations of the formal complaint.
The respondent was retained to sue a mobile home broker and the seller of a mobile home, but abandoned his clients' cause of action, failed to respond to his clients' inquiries, failed to return the clients' file and documents, failed to advise his clients' that their cause of action had been dismissed, and failed to answer the request for investigation.
Respondent's conduct was found to be in violation of MCR 9.104(1-4,7); MCR 9.103(C); MCR 9.113(B)(2); Canons 1, 6 and 7 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 1-102(A)(1,5,6); DR 6-101(A)(3); DR 7-101(A)(1-3); and Rule 1.1(c); 1.2(a); 1.3; 1.4(a); and 8.4(a,c) of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. Attorney Discipline Board Ingham County Hearing Panel #1 ordered that the respondent's license to practice law be suspended for a period of 120 days. Costs were assessed in the amount of $195.70.
The respondent filed a petition for review seeking a reduction of the discipline imposed. In an order dated June 29, 1990, the Attorney Discipline Board reduced the suspension to a period of thirty days. In its opinion, the Board noted that the respondent's failure to respond to his clients appeared to be confined to this case, that he has no prior record of discipline, and that he now has a proper understanding of his obligation to answer a disciplinary inquiry.