Driving In Crete

An Illinois hearing board has recommended a one year suspension with automatic reinstatement in a case involving neglect of a client matter and a series of problems with respect to an alcohol-related traffic offense. The driving violation had taken place in the Village of Crete:

Pagorek [the prosecutor]testified that Respondent’s cases were pending an unusually long time, and were handled by ten or twelve different judges. The fact that the case file was two inches thick was also extraordinary. Pagorek typically concludes cases in nine to twelve months, and has never handled any other matter that lasted as long as Respondent’s cases or had as many warrants for arrest issued. Pagorek noted a pattern of Respondent’s failure to appear for scheduled court dates and then presenting motions on days when Pagorek was not present. He stated that Respondent’s actions frustrated the orderly prosecution of the cases. On cross examination, Pagorek acknowledged that having a motion to quash and recall a warrant heard in the absence of the village prosecutor is not abnormal.

A dissent would find an additional violation of dishonest billing in the client matter and impose an additional “until further court order” requirement as part of the discipline. (Mike Frisch)