Within the context of civil law, sanctions are usually monetary fines, levied against a party to a lawsuit or their attorney, for violating rules of procedure, or for abusing the judicial process.
In California, various rules and statutes authorize monetary sanctions against attorneys as well as parties. Attorneys face monetary sanctions for various forms of misconduct, including filing frivolous pleadings or bad faith appeals, or advising a client to engage in discovery abuse.
The sanction lasts for 91 days (approximately 3 months) for the first sanction in any 12-month period and 182 days (approximately 6 months) for a second high level sanction. High level sanctions apply, for example, where a claimant refuses the offer of a job.Feb 23, 2021
sanction. n. 1) a financial penalty imposed by a judge on a party or attorney for violation of a court rule, for receiving a special waiver of a rule, or as a fine for contempt of court.
In most cases, especially those involving opposing attorneys known for seeking sanctions as a routine matter, clients likely will decide to treat it as part of the liti gation and instruct the attorney to go forward. In other cases, such as those involving allegations of frivolous claims, obstruction or destruction of evidence, the conversation, and the disclosure to the client, will be much more involved.
A request for sanctions is a demand for money. As such, it may qualify as a "claim" against an attorney or a law practice. If the motion for sanctions is directed against the attorney, it may implicate a notice requirement under the law practice's legal malpractice insurance policy.
The first and most important step is designate a risk management partner to decide the appropriate actions that follow. Motions for sanctions implicate a variety of issues, and rather than have a fool for a client, most attorneys are well-advised to trust someone detached from the situation to address them.
The State Bar of California's Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct has provided the following guidance: " [A]t a minimum, the lawyer must inform the client of the existence of the motion, the fact that sanctions are being sought against the client and the lawyer, the amount of the sanctions being sought and the practical consequences of the motion if it is granted or it is denied. The lawyer also has a duty to supply the client with additional information necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions with respect to the motion ." Cal. Standing Comm. on Prof'l Responsibility & Conduct, Formal Opinion No. 1997-151.
In addition, the designated risk management partner should open a separate file within the firm and evaluate the risks to the law practice. If additional steps need to be taken (such as those cases where the client's conduct could give rise to sanctions), then the law practice may need to take more aggressive steps to protect itself. These steps can range from requesting client action to correct a situation to withdrawal.
The safest course in these situations is to provide notice to the law practice's legal malpractice insurance company. By providing such notice, the law practice takes an important step in assuring that any coverage that might exist will be available in the event that the motion results in an actual obligation to pay.
A lawyer seeking sanctions must file a motion with the court. A hearing is set during which the lawyer must produce evidence of wrongful conduct. The lawyer may also suggest the amount of sanctions she believes is appropriate for the circumstances.
It is considered a serious abuse of the justice system to file lawsuits for these purposes. Lawyers may also file for sanctions if their opponents engage in needless tactics that delay the progress of litigation. Schemes designed to increase the cost of litigation may also lead to sanctions.
A lawyer may file a request for sanctions in response to a frivolous lawsuit. A frivolous lawsuit is defined as a complaint that has no legal merit. Sanctions for frivolous actions include payment of the opposing party's costs and attorney's fees. Likewise, a defendant may not present frivolous defenses in response to a legitimate lawsuit. Frivolous defenses are punishable by the same sanctions as frivolous lawsuits.
Types of Sanctions. Misconduct shall be grounds for one or more of the following sanctions: (1) Disbarment by the court. (2) Suspension by the court for an appropriate fixed period of time not in excess of three years. (3) Probation imposed by the court not in excess of two years, or imposed by the board or counsel with the consent ...
Probation may be an appropriate sanction in certain cases of disability, if the condition is temporary or minor, and capable of treatment without transfer to disability inactive status. The court, the board, or counsel may impose probation. If probation is imposed by the board or by counsel, the consent of the respondent is required.