SAN FRANCISCO – Rocklin attorney Robert Christian Crane faces disbarment following an Aug. 8 California Supreme Court order over alleged failures to perform legal services with competence and cooperate in a disciplinary investigation, according to a recent report issued by the State Bar of California and court documents.
In its order, the Supreme Court also ordered Crane to pay costs and comply with California court rules regarding his discipline.
Crane's disbarment will be effective Saturday, Sept. 7, according to an announcement on the state bar's website.
Crane was admitted to the bar in California on Dec. 1, 1998, according to his profile at the state bar website.
Crane had no prior discipline but he has other disciplinary matters pending and the client security fund has made no payments as a result of his alleged misconduct, according to the eight-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment issued in December by the State Bar Court.
Crane was charged with four counts of misconduct in a single client matter, including one count of failing to respond to state update request, according to the decision and order. The office of chief trial counsel provided insufficient evidence to support that count and the State Bar Court dismissed it with prejudice.
The State Bar Court did find Crane failed to assist co-counsel with discovery, to prepare his case for trail, attend a court hearing, to communicate with co-counsel and his client and to inform his client he was constructively terminating his employment, according to the decision and order.
The State Bar Court's decision and order included an involuntary inactive enrollment order that rendered Crane involuntarily enrolled as an inactive member of the State Bar of California. That order was effective three calendar days after service, according to the recommendation.
Crane 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.
Default was entered in the matter in July of last year.