LOS ANGELES — The State Bar Court of California recently suspended Richard Lee Bobus, a Santa Rosa attorney, for failing to adhere to a new e-filing system to report sanctions imposed on him to the California State Bar.
According to the March 1 decision, Bobus began representing a client in a personal injury matter in early 2015. On Jan. 28, 2015, the client requested that Bobus dismiss the case, and the lawyer obliged.
However, when he arrived at the courthouse to process the dismissal, he was informed that all documents must be submitted electronically. According to the court documents, Bobus attempted to set up his electronic filing system unsuccessfully for nine months before a friend was finally able to do so for him.
In February 2015, Bobus was ordered to appear in court to show cause for why sanctions should not be placed on the attorney for failing to file proof of service. The attorney failed to attend the hearing and $400 in sanctions were placed on him. Another hearing was scheduled, but Bobus again failed to appear. Two more hearings were scheduled, neither of which Bobus attended. The sanctions totaled more than $1,000, but the attorney did not report the fines to the state bar.
Bobus' 30-day suspension ended March 31 and it is followed by a two-year probation. He will also be responsible for paying the court costs, which were $3,179 at the time of the order.
The 68-year-old attorney was admitted to the California State Bar in 2007. He is a graduate of the Empire College School of Law and had one prior instance of discipline for failing to appear on behalf of a client in court proceedings in 2015.