In Re Grand Jury Proceedings. United States of America v. James W. Lawson

James Lawson, an attorney, appeals from a May 17, 1979 order and commitment as a recalcitrant witness under 28 U.S.C. § 1826 . .Appellant refused to provide a grand jury with the names of and fee arrangements with certain unnamed client(s). We reverse.

I. FACTS

In prior proceedings, appellant, an associate with a Boston law firm, represented two individuals who were arrested in connection with a conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws. United States v. Moriarty, et al., CR 78-355V, Western District of Washington. Prior to their trial, both individuals plead guilty to their charges and were each sentenced to one year imprisonment with a special parole term of two years. Before sentencing, the individuals testified under grants of immunity before the federal grand jury in the Western District of Washington, which was investigating the marijuana distribution scheme in which the individuals had been involved. Specifically, the two individuals were questioned as to how they had come to retain appellant’s law firm to represent them in the Moriarty case and who had paid for that representation. On April 9, 1979, a few days after the individuals testified, appellant himself was…