MEMBERS HON. MARTIN M. DOCTOROFF CHAIRMAN 0 ?O BERT S. HARRISON VICE CHAIRMAN GHARLES C. VINCENT. M.D SECRETARY
REMONA A. GREEN HANLEY M. GURWIN PATRICK J. KEATING ODESSA KOMER
STATE OF MICHIGAN
JOHN F. VAN BOLT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 8
GENERAL COUNSEL --
SUITE 1260 333 W. FORT STREET DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226
Area Code 31 3 963-5553
NOTICE OF REPRIMAND ADB Case Nos. 41-87; 68-87 B e t t y J e a n S k i n n e r , P35031, 414 Main S t r e e t , Fenton, M I 48430 b y t h e A t t o r n e y D i s c i p l i n e Board F l i n t Hear ing Pane l 112.
1 ) Reprimand; 2 ) E f f e c t i v e September 15 , 1987. The Respondent f a i l e d t o answer two Formal Complaints . A s a r e s u l t of the D e f a u l t s , the a l l e g a t i o n s of p r o f e s s i o n a l m i s c o n d u c t were deemed a d m i t t e d , t o w i t : t h a t d u r i n g h e r represents t i o n of a c l i e n t i n a d i v o r c e matter from A p r i l th rough J u l y 1986, Respondent n e g l e c t e d t h e l e g a l m a t t e r e n t r u s t e d t o he r a n d f a i l e d t o c o m m u n i c a t e a d e q u a t e l y w i t h h e r c l i e n t ; t h a t Respondent was r e t a i n e d i n February 1986 t o r e p r e s e n t a c l i e n t i n a p r o b a t e matter b u t f a i l e d t o t a k e a c t i o n t o a c h i e v e he r c l i e n t s
l e g a l o b j e c t i v e s and f a i l e d t o communicate w i t h he r c l i e n t ; t h a t s h e f a i l e d t o answer two Reques t s f o r I n v e s t i g a t i o n ; and t h a t s h e f a i l e d t o answer a Formal Complaint s e r v e d o n March 31 , 1987. Responden t ' s conduc t was found t o b e i n v i o l a t i o n of MCR 9 .104(1-4) (7 ) ; MCR 9 .113(B)(2) and Canons 1, 6 & 7 of t h e Code o f P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y DR 1 - 1 2 ( A )1 5 6 ) ; DR 6 1-101(A)(3) and DR 7-101(A)(1-3).
The Respondent appeared b e f o r e t h e Pane l which found t h a t a repr imand was w a r r a n t e d i n l i g h t of m i t i g a t i n g f a c t o r s w h i c h i n c l u d e d h e r d u t y t o c a r e f o r a s e r i o u s l y ill f a m i l y member, the r e s t i t u t i o n of l e g a l f e e s , a p r e v i o u s l y unblemished r e c o r d and her v o l u n t a r y c e s s a t i o n of t h e p r i v a t e p r a c t i c e of law. R e s t i t u t i o n i n t h e amount of $150,33 was o r d e r e d t o g e t h e r w i t h c o s t s ~ s s e s s e di n t h e amount of $2 14.74.