BOARD MEMBERS JOHN L . COTE, CHAIRPERSON LEO A. FARHAT MSGR. CLEMENT H. KERN DAVID BAKER LEWIS. SECRETARY FRANK J . MCDEVITT, D . 0 . WILLIAM G. REAMON LYNN H. SHECTER. VICE-CHAIRPERSON
STATE O F MICHIGAN
NOTICE OF REPRIMAND
JOHN F. X.DWAIHY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 6, GENERAL COUNSEL
SUITE 1260 3 3 3 W. FORT STREET DETROIT. MICHIGAN 4 8 2 2 6 T E L E P H O N E : ( ~ I ~9)6 3 - 5 5 5 3
F i l e No. DP-64/81
J O H N F. HUFT (P15233), 198 Benzie Boulevard, Beulah, M I 49617, by At torney D i s c i p l i n e Board, 28th C i r c u i t Hearing Panel .
(1) Reprimand; (2) E f f e c t i v e December 7 , 1981. The hea r ing pane l found t h a t Respondent was g u i l t y of v i o l a t i n g t h e d i s c i p l i n a r y r u l e s on two s e p a r a t e counts because
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he accepted p r i v a t e employment i n a m a t t e r upon t h e m e r i t s of which he had a c t e d i n a j u d i c i a l c a p a c i t y , i n v i o l a t i o n of Canons 1 and 9 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 , to-wit : DR 1 - 1 0 1 ( 5 ) , DR 9-101 ( A ) . The hea r ing pane l found t h a t Respondent
knew o r should have known t h a t t h e f i d u c i a r y of a c e r t a i n e s t a t e purchased p rope r ty owned by t h e e s t a t e c o n t r a r y t o t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e proba te code, t h a t s a i d e s t a t e w a s pending be fo re t h e Benzie County Proba te Court of which Respondent w a s a pa r t - t ime
Judge who was pe rmi t t ed t o engage i n t h e p r i v a t e p r a c t i c e of law, t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o adv i se t h e f i d u c i a r y t h a t s a i d purchase was unlawful , t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o adv i se t h e f i d - u c i a r y t h a t Respondent could n o t a c t as s a i d f i d u c i a r y ' s p r i v a t e a t t o r n e y r ega rd ing c i r c u i t c o u r t proceedings t o set a s i d e t h e
j u d i c i a l deed, and t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o a d v i s e t h e f i d u c i a r y t h a t Respondent, a s Proba te Judge, would ho ld t h e s a i d f i d u c i a r y accountable t o t h e e s t a t e f o r t h e proceeds and p r o f i t s of t h e purchase , and, f i n a l l y , t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o t a k e any a c t i o n a s Probate Judge t o f o r c e t h e f i d u c i a r y t o c l o s e s a i d e s t a t e . The pane l a l s o found t h a t Respondent, a f t e r l eav ing t h e bench a s Benzie County Proba te Judge, r e p r e s e n t e d t h e s a i d f i d u c i a r y f o r t h r e e o r f o u r y e a r s be fo re t h e Benzie County Proba te Court i n connection wi th t h e e s t a t e i n q u e s t i o n . Cos ts of approximately $573.00 were a s s e s s e d a g a i n s t Respondent.
/ LK'hr\r F, X. DLV41HY, Executive Di & Genera t Counsel
DAVID EAKER iE'd\iiS, Secretary of the At: .1;.::D.3i s c~~t inBeo ard
3, b
December 1 0 , 1981