Arcadia attorney Yen Hoang Thi Nguyen has been disbarred by the California State Bar over with five counts of misconduct involving one client matter, according to a recent decision.
The allegations against Nguyen stemmed from a dissolution of marriage case that began in 2014 and the client on whose behalf Nguyen allegedly failed to prosecute that case, according to the state bar’s seven-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment, disbarring Nguyen. Counts against Nguyen include failing to promptly release client papers, respond promptly to eight status inquiries made by her client between June 29, 2015, and Jan.26, 2016, and respond to the state bar during its investigation into allegations of misconduct against Nguyen.
The state bar handed down the decision July 28.
In December, the state bar filed its notice of disciplinary charges against Nguyen, who filed a response the following month and participated in an in-person status conference Jan. 25, according to the decision. Nguyen did not appear for trial April 18 and the court entered a default order the same day.
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, which provides the procedure for the State Bar to recommend an attorney’s disbarment.
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.
Nguyen was admitted to the bar in California on Aug. 31, 2001, according to her profile at the state bar website.
Among the counts detailed in the state bar's notice of disciplinary charges against Nguyen is a June 2016 incident in which Nguyen allegedly told her client that the clerk of the court had said the client would not have to appear in court for a hearing that month, which was not true. That was "an act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or corruption in willful violation of business and professions code" the notice said.