Neglect Of Appeals Leads To Suspension

An attorney who had neglected two criminal appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit was suspended for one year with six months stayed on good behavior by the Ohio Supreme Court. The decision is summarized on the court’s web page:

The Supreme Court of Ohio has suspended the law license ofattorney Daniel S. Dice for one year, with six months of that termstayed on conditions. Dice, who currently resides in New York City, hasbeen registered with the Court as inactive since July 2006. 

The Court adopted findings by the Board of Commissioners onGrievances & Discipline that Dice violated multiple attorneydiscipline rules by neglecting the cases of two criminal defendants hewas appointed to represent in cases before the U.S. Sixth Circuit Courtof Appeals. In one case involving a prisoner incarcerated for a felonyoffense, Dice delayed filing an appellate brief for seven months andthen caused multiple additional delays in the case that ultimatelyrequired the court to appoint a replacement attorney. In the secondcase, Dice failed to appear for the scheduled oral argument of hisclient’s case before the Sixth Circuit.

The Court agreed with the disciplinary board’s findings that Dice’sconduct violated the Disciplinary Rules that prohibit neglect of anentrusted legal matter, intentionally causing damage to a client in thecourse of a professional relationship and engaging in conductprejudicial to the administration of justice. In addition, Dice wasfound to have violated the state bar governance rule that requireslawyers to cooperate in the investigation of misconduct.

(Mike Frisch)