In re Dedman

This is a proceeding to review a recommendation of the Disciplinary Board of the State Bar that petitioner be suspended from the practice of law for five years on conditions of probation which include actual suspension for three years.

Petitioner was admitted to practice in California on December 23, 1966, and in September of 1968, he was a sole practitioner. He has no prior record of discipline.

Petitioner was convicted in 1973, following a negotiated plea of nolo contendere on one count of theft (Pen. Code, § 484), one count of grand theft (Pen. Code, § 487), and one count of falsifying documents to be used in evidence (Pen. Code, § 134), crimes involving moral turpitude. On October 31, 1973, we placed him under interim suspension; we denied a petition he filed the following 'month to set aside our order. In January 1974, we referred the matter to the State Bar on the issue of discipline.

Although petitioner’s plea of nolo contendere to two counts of theft and one count of preparing false evidence constitutes “conclusive evidence of guilt” (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6101), the facts and circumstances are relevant, not on the issue of moral turpitude, but to determine the…