# Ligon v. Rees

> Supreme Court of Arkansas · May 13, 2010 · 364 S.W.3d 19

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9784305

## Case

- **Full name:** Stark LIGON, Executive Director, Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct, Appellant, v. Frank David REES, Ark. Bar No. 79238, Appellee
- **Court:** Supreme Court of Arkansas
- **Decided:** May 13, 2010
- **Citations:** 364 S.W.3d 19; 2010 Ark. 223; 2010 Ark. LEXIS 266
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Brown
- **Judges:** Jim Gunter
- **Cited by:** 6 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9784305

## Opinion text

BROWN, J., concurring.
I concur with the majority opinion in its entirety and write separately to urge the Committee on Professional Conduct to consider adopting formal guidelines on the time period in which a formal complaint should be lodged and an attorney notified when an allegation of professional misconduct has been made against him or her. In this particular case, the time between the original complaint and the making of a formal allegation by the Committee was more than three years. Admittedly, there may be a reasonable explanation for such a delay in some cases. But the delay seemed largely unexplained in this case.
According to the American Bar Association, as of 2007, the most recent year for which data is available, twelve states had adopted such guidelines. 1 American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility, 2007 SURVEY ON LAWYER DISCIPLINE Systems, Chart V: Case Processing Times. In my view, the Committee should examine what other states have done and consider promulgating formal time-processing standards. Without question, in some instances, an unreasonable delay in bringing a formal complaint can prejudice the ability of a lawyer to mount a defense to the allegation.
. The states with formally-adopted time standards are Alaska, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9784305. Public record. Not legal advice.