Sanger attorney Daniel Americo Bruce has been disbarred by the California State Bar over 13 counts of misconduct stemming his alleged failure to fulfill probation requirements imposed in January of last year, according to a recent decision.
Allegations against Bruce included business and professional code violations, according to the state bar’s July 14 decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment, disbarring Bruce. Bruce also allegedly failed to respond to a state bar disciplinary investigation, comply with conditions of probation from the previous discipline, contact the state bar's office of probation to schedule a meeting, meet with the office of probation and submit three quarterly reports, according to the decision.
The state bar filed its notice of disciplinary charges against Bruce in November, according to the decision. Bruce filed a response the following month and participated in a Jan. 30 status conference but did not appear for trial April 11, according to the decision.
In cases such as this, in which an attorney fails to participate in a California State Bar disciplinary proceeding despite adequate notice and opportunity, the bar invokes Rule 5.85, the bar’s procedure to recommend an attorney’s disbarment by default.
The state bar's decision is pending final action by the California Supreme Court, an appeal before the state bar's review department or expiration of time in which parties to may request further review within the state bar court.
Bruce was admitted to the bar in California on Dec. 3, 2001, according to his profile at the state bar website.
Bruce had one prior record of discipline before the state bar, according to the decision and information on his profile at the state bar website. In January 2016, he was suspended for 60 days, placed on two years' probation and ordered to take the multistate professional responsibility examination after he allegedly practiced law while suspended for not paying his state bar dues, according to information on his profile. With no prior history of discipline before the state bar, Bruce faced a two-year suspension if he did not comply with the terms of that disciplinary probation, the order for which took effect Jan. 7, 2016.
In February, Bruce was suspended after failing to pass the professional responsibility exam, according to information on his state bar profile.