LOS ANGELES — The State Bar Court of California recently ruled to disbar Daryl Lynn Binkley, a Palm Desert attorney, from the practice of law.
The March 31 order came as the result of Binkley’s culpability in several charges of misconduct including failing to appear at hearings on behalf of clients and failing to preform any legal services in another matter.
Binkley’s misconduct stems from three separate client matters, each with multiple charges. In the first matter, the attorney was charged with failure to preform legal services with competence for not filing accounting status reports on three occasions, not appearing at three court hearings and failing to file a substitution of attorney motion. Binkley also was charged with improperly withdrawing from the case, failing to communicate with a client, release client paperwork or cooperate with the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel’s (OCTC) investigation.
In the second matter, Binkley was found culpable of failing to preform legal services and failing to return $750 in unearned fees. In addition, the attorney was charged with failing to provide the client an accounting of the fees. Binkley also did not respond to the OCTC’s investigation into this matter.
The final matter involved charges of failure to report judicial funds totaling $1,500 and failing to cooperate with a superior court order to pay sanctions. Again, the attorney did not respond to the OCTC.
Due to the nature of the misconduct and Binkley’s continued failure to cooperate with the state bar’s investigation, disbarment was ordered. The attorney will be responsible for all court costs and will need to provide proof to the state bar that he has notified all clients and opposing counsels of the ruling.
The Riverside County attorney was admitted to the California State Bar 2007. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law and had no prior record of discipline.