Matter Discipline Hermon B. Walker Also - Supreme Court of South Dakota

Matter Discipline Hermon B. Walker Also

By Supreme Court of South Dakota

  • Release Date: 1977-05-26
  • Genre: Law

Description

PER CURIAM. This is a disciplinary proceeding against Hermon B. Walker (respondent), a member of the South Dakota Bar now practicing at Rapid City, South Dakota. Respondent was admitted to practice as an attorney and counselor-at-law in the courts of the State of South Dakota on August 10, 1961. Since that time he has been engaged in the active practice of law with offices at Sturgis in Meade County, South Dakota until about July 1, 1975, and thereafter at Rapid City in Pennington County, South Dakota. Certain complaints regarding the respondent's conduct in the practice had been reported to the Grievance Committee of the State Bar Association which undertook to investigate the complaints. A report from that committee to this court resulted in an order authorizing the filing of the formal complaint, which order was dated the 24th day of November, 1975. By formal complaint filed on the 4th day of December, 1975, respondent was charged with unprofessional conduct, malpractice, and conduct prejudicial to the administration of Justice in his office as an attorney and counselor-at-law. He was first alleged to have entered a plea of nolo contendere to a charge of willful failure to file income tax returns for the years 1970 and 1971, upon which plea he had been found guilty and imposition of sentence was suspended on terms of probation. He was next alleged to have pled guilty to a charge of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor on the streets of Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota. The complaint further detailed six instances over a period of some fourteen years wherein the clients had complained of the respondent's handling of causes and legal transactions on their behalf. We do not detail these claims here, suffice it to say that, if true, they would demonstrate a pattern of unconcern, neglect, procrastination and untruths which singly and collectively constitute unprofessional conduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of Justice as was charged in the complaint.