Stay East Of The Delaware River

An attorney who represented clients in three municipal courts while suspended for non-payment of his annual client security fund assessment has been censured by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

The court followed the recommendation of its Disciplinary Review Board.

The DRB report noted that the attorney had appeared in court knowing that he had failed to pay the fund for five years and after being served with notice from disciplinary authorities.

He also had a prior reprimand for the same misconduct and failed to participate in the proceedings. These aggravating factors bumped the sanction up from a reprimand to a censure.

One DRB member would impose a three-month suspension.

There are other jurisdictions (Pennsylvania, for instance) where this misconduct would lead to a lengthy suspension. (Mike Frisch)