BOARD MEMBERS FREDERICK G. BUESSER. JR. JOHN L. COT^. CHAIRPERSON MSGR. CLEMENT H. KERN DAVID BAKER LEWIS. SECRETARY
FRANK J . MCDEVITT. D. 0. WILLIAM G. REAMON LYNN H. SHECTER. VICE-CHAIRPERSON
STATE OF MICHIGAN
J O H N F. X . DWAIHY Executive Director 6 Gen$~~>,2C,~unse1
3 3 3 W. FORT STREET DETROIT. MICHIGAN 4 8 2 8 6
TELEPHONE: 1313) 9 6 3 - 5 5 5 3
This i s t o inform the Courts of the State of Michigan of the following Order of Discipl ine: NOTICE OF SUSPENSION Fi le No. 36527-A Re1 ated: 36604, 36733
CARL R . RUEBELMAN (P19752), 36 E. Burdick Street , Oxford, MI 48051 , by the Attorney Di sci pl i ne Board increasing the Panel suspension of one hundred twenty (120) days to a suspension of one hundred twenty- one (121 ) days pursuant t o the Petit ion fo r Review f i l e d by the Grievance Administrator. ( I ) Suspension ; (2) For a period of 121 days; (3) Effective June 17, 1980.
Respondent was charged i n a six-count Formal Complaint with: issuance of a check dishonored on four occasions due t o insuff icient funds, tha t Respondent knew the account contained insuff icient funds, tha t Respondent issued said check as Trustee f o r a certain business enterprise, in violation of Canon 1 of the Code of Professional Respon- s ib i 1i ty , DR 1-1 02 ( A ) (4) and (6) and GCR 953 (2-5) ; tha t Respondent fa i led t o answer the Request f o r Investigation in regard to the issu- ance of said checks; that Respondent fa i led t o f i l e an appeal pursuant t o an appointment by the Oakland County Circuit Court in violation of Canon 6, DR 6-101 ( A ) (3) and GCR 953 (1- 4) ; tha t Respondent f a i l ed t o answer the Grievance Administrator's Request fo r Investigation in regard t o the a1 1e ged neglect of said criminal appeal ; tha t Respondent retained the services of another attorney f o r a tax opinion and has fa i led , neglected and refused t o honor the b i l l ing of said tax attorney i n violation of Canon 1, DR 1-102 ( A ) (4) and ( 6 ) and GCR 953 (2-5), (7) tha t Respondent fa i led t o answer the Grievance Administrator's Request for Investigation regarding his f a i l u r e to honor the bi l l ing of said attorney. Count I of the Complaint regarding the dishonored check was dismissed. The Hearing Panel determined tha t the allegations in the balance of the Complaint were proven. The Panel considered as an
Not ice of Suspension r e CARL R. RUEBELMAN (Continued)
aggravating f a c t o r the f a c t t h a t the Respondent f a i l e d t o answer three separate Requests f o r I nves t i ga t i on whi le no t i ng t h a t such f a i l u r e , though no t an admission t o the f a c t s contained i n the Complaint, c o n s t i t u t e the breach o f an a t torney 's duty t o account t o the profession and t o soc ie ty a t l a rge regarding t he h igh stan- dards o f professional conduct requ i red o f the members of the l ega l profession. The Panel a lso considered a record o f previous mis-
conduct inc lud ing a 60-day suspension i n 1978 and assessed costs i n the amount o f $149.78. The record r e f l e c t s t h a t the Panel Order was entered pursuant t o Respondent's d e f a u l t and the Grievance Admin is t ra tor 's presentat ion o f evidence. The Grievance Adminis- t r a t o r appealed the Panel 's sus--nsion o f 120 days; the Board increased the suspension by one ,ay w i t h an Opinion, thereby requ i r i ng t h a t Respondent undergo formal Reinstatement proceedings and assessed Respondent costs o f the Review Hearing. The suspension was e f f e c t i v e June 16, 1980, i n the absence o f a Stay o f D i s c i p l i n e Pending Appeal.
December
I , 1980.
David Baker Lewis, Secretary ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD