No Lead Pipe Cinch

The Delaware Supreme Court has transferred an attorney from disability status to disbarred status as a result of a Tennessee disbarment.

This is a lawyer disciplinary proceeding. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel initiated proceedings seeking reciprocal discipline against the respondent, Sean K. Hornbeck. The ODC asserted that Hornbeck had been disbarred by the Supreme Court of Tennessee on February 16, 2018 for numerous violations of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct. This Court previously transferred Hornbeck to disability inactive status in 2009…

The Court has considered the matter carefully. We find the Board’s recommendation of disbarment to be appropriate. We therefore accept the Board’s findings and recommendations for discipline. Hornbeck shall be removed from disability inactive status and disbarred.

The Tennessee sanction is linked here.

In this attorney disciplinary appeal, upon petition by the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, this Court ordered the temporary suspension of the attorney from the practice of law based on the threat of substantial harm he posed to the public. For a time, the attorney was placed on disability status; later he was reinstated to suspended status. Subsequently, after an evidentiary hearing, a hearing panel found multiple acts of professional misconduct, including knowing conversion of client funds with substantial injury to clients, submitting false testimony and falsified documents in court proceedings, engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, violating Supreme Court orders, and defrauding clients. The hearing panel determined that the attorney should be disbarred.

From our coverage of the Tennessee sanction

A hearing panel of lawyers heard the evidence against Mr. Hornbeck. Mr. Hornbeck claimed that his mental state was affected by family crises and an injury from being hit in the head with a metal pipe. The hearing panel rejected this explanation and held that Mr. Hornbeck should be disbarred.

(Mike Frisch)