SAN FRANCISCO – French Camp attorney Jannette I. Ramos has been disbarred following a July 11 California Supreme Court order over six counts of alleged misconduct, including misappropriation.
In its order, the Supreme Court also ordered Ramos to pay costs.
Ramos' disbarment was effective Aug. 10, according to an announcement on the state bar's website.
The court's order, mailed to Ramos, was returned July 17 labeled "return to sender-not deliverable as addressed-unable to forward," according to a clerical note entered in the disciplinary proceedings.
Ramos was alleged to have misappropriated almost $2,413 in a client medical provider's funds, according to the California State Bar Court's seven-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment. Ramos also allegedly failed to maintain a client's funds in trust, deposited or commingled personal funds into her trust account and used her trust account to pay personal expenses.
Ramos allegedly made false statements to an office of chief trial counsel investigator about why the funds were not disbursed to the medical provider until March 2016. Those false statements included telling the investigator that the funds were not disbursed to the medical provider because she awaited the client's return from the Philippines, according to the decision and order.
Ramos allegedly failed to participate in person or via counsel and state bar's decision and order for disbarment was entered by default. In such cases, in which an attorney fails to participate in a State Bar of California 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.
Ramos was admitted to the bar in California on Jan. 27, 1999, according to her profile at the state bar website. Ramos has no other disciplinary matters pending and the client security fund has made no payments as a result of her alleged misconduct, according to the decision and order.
Ramos attempted to resign from the state bar in October 2017 but a hearing department judge ordered the proceeding against her and the California Supreme Court ordered the resignation not be accepted, according to the decision and order.
The state bar's entry for default was entered in November and the case was submitted for decision in February.