Rules Of The Road

A disbarment reported by the California Bar Journal

DUANE D’ROY DADE [#140379], 58, of Riverside, was disbarred Jan. 28, 2016 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. 

The State Bar Court found Dade culpable of seven counts of misconduct. In March 2014, Dade was deposed by the State Bar regarding the purchase of several motorcycles, a Porsche Cayenne and a RV. During a deposition, Dade testified that he paid $20,000 for the Porsche. Despite that, claimed to have purchased the Porsche for only $12,500 in a vehicle title/registration application he signed under penalty of perjury. At trial, Dade attributed the difference to a mistake even though he had the opportunity to review the document before testifying.

In addition, in May 2010, he obtained $8,000 from the sale of a Harley Davidson, $5,000 of which he used to purchase an Electra Glide and $3,000 of which he used to refurbish it. In his application for title he stated he had only paid $2,500 for it.

Dade made other misrepresentations as well. In a 2010 bankruptcy petition, he did not disclose the sale of the Porsche, the Harley Davidson or that he had sold the Electra Glide for $13,500 and had possession of the RV during the relevant time period. In May 2012, he submitted a job application in which he failed to disclose he had graduated from law school and practiced law.

In addition, on May 9, 2013, he testified under oath during a State Bar deposition that he had not owned a motorcycle between 2009 and October 2012. He also declared under penalty of perjury on five quarterly reports to probation that he had been truthful when he knew he hadn’t.

Dade had four prior records of discipline. On Aug. 5, 1999, he was suspended after stipulating that in two instances he failed to properly maintain his client trust account. In May 2010, he was suspended after being found culpable of 12 acts of misconduct, including six counts of moral turpitude, in two client matters. In October 2010, he was suspended for misconduct in two separate matters including misappropriation, improperly disbursing funds to his client without the knowledge or consent of another party claiming the funds and failing to maintain client funds in his trust account or promptly pay client funds.

In August 2011, he was suspended again for the unauthorized practice of law and failing to take steps to avoid prejudice to his client.

(Mike Frisch)