NOTICE OF REDUCED DISCIPLINE ADB 151-87; 180-87 Marvin R. Smith, P-31393, Pontiac, MI by the Supreme Court reducing a suspension for one year imposed by the Attorney Discipline Board.
1) Suspension - eight months; 2) Effective January 4, 1988. The respondent was originally suspended for a period of ninety days effective January 8, 1988 by a hearing panel of the Attorney Discipline board which found that respondent had failed to institute litigation on his client's behalf, falsely reported to his client that suit had been filed; failed to return the client's documents and retainer fee and failed to answer the Request for Investigation. The respondent failed to answer the formal complaint and failed to appear before the hearing panel. Following consideration of a petition for review filed by the grievance Administrator, the Attorney Discipline Board increased discipline to a suspension of one year. The Board noted respondent's prior reprimand and his failure to appear at the show cause proceedings before the Board.
Following the Board's denial of respondent's petition for reconsideration, the Michigan Supreme Court granted respondent's motion for immediate consideration. In lieu of granting respondent's leave to appeal, the court reduced the discipline to a suspension of eight months.