IN RE MATTER OF WILLIAM CHARLES COOPER - #098578

Filing 3

ORDER OF SUSPENSION. Signed by Judge James Donato on 8/6/2015. (ndrS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 8/6/2015)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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IN THE MATTER OF

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Case No. 15-mc-80169-JD

William Charles Cooper #098578
ORDER OF SUSPENSION

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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On June 11, 2015, the Court issued an order to show cause, suspending attorney William

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Charles Cooper on an interim basis. It did so because notice had been received that Mr. Cooper’s

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status with the State Bar of California had been changed to inactive “pursuant to Section 6007 of

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the Business and Professions Code and [he] may not practice law while so enrolled effective

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March 12, 2015.” Dkt. No. 1. Mr. Cooper was permitted to file by July 21, 2015, a response

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“meeting the requirements of Civil Local Rule 11-7(b)(2).” Id.

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Mr. Cooper instead mailed in a “personal and confidential” letter, which has now been

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made a part of the docket. Dkt. No. 2. As a preliminary matter, correspondence with the Court

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that pertains to an active matter should not be labeled “personal and confidential” and must instead

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be filed on the public docket.

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But that is a minor error in light of the letter overall. Mr. Cooper states that he has never

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been subject to “a ‘SECTION 6007’ of the Business and Professional Code,” but he does admit

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that he “stipulated to charges of misconduct for falsely reporting MCLE compliance” and that he

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was “placed on probation for one year, subject to the condition of being ‘actually’ suspended from

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the practice of law for the first 30 days of probation (only), effective March 12, 2015.” Dkt.

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No. 2. On this basis, Mr. Cooper “respectfully” requests that the Court “‘check out’ your sources,

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get the information correct, and make this ‘matter’ go away.” Id.

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Mr. Cooper’s disrespectful and demanding tone is entirely inappropriate, and the Court

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will impose sanctions should he address the Court in that manner again in the future. As for the

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substance of this matter, although it appears the California State Bar may have misreported the

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statutory section pursuant to which Mr. Cooper was disciplined, Mr. Cooper himself admits the

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salient fact that he was actually suspended from the practice of law for 30 days, effective March

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12, 2015. Dkt. No. 2.

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That fact by itself is sufficient to support an order of suspension as a matter of reciprocal
discipline under Civil Local Rule 11-7(a). This case does not fall under the exception provided in

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Rule 11-1(g), because Mr. Cooper’s suspension was not for “less than 30 days.” Nor was it akin

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to a temporary, reversible suspension for a “failure to submit documentation of compliance with

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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continuing education requirements” under Rule 11-1(g)(1)(D); rather, the 30-day suspension was

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imposed on Mr. Cooper as a disciplinary measure because he had admitted to falsifying his MCLE

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compliance report with the State Bar. Finally, Mr. Cooper’s letter contains no grounds for setting

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aside the Court’s prior order under Civil Local Rule 11-7(b)(2).

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Consequently, Mr. Cooper’s membership in the bar of this Court is hereby suspended. As

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stated in Civil Local Rule 11-7(b)(3), Mr. Cooper may seek reinstatement by filing a petition for

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admission with the Clerk as provided in Civil Local Rule 11-1(c) and paying the admission fee in

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accordance with 11-1(d). Should he choose to do so, Mr. Cooper is admonished that all members

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of the bar of this Court are expected to conduct themselves with the utmost honesty and courtesy,

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and anything less will not be tolerated nor excused.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: August 6, 2015
______________________________________
JAMES DONATO
United States District Judge

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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Case No. 15-mc-80169-JD

IN THE MATTER OF
William Charles Cooper #098578

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S.
District Court, Northern District of California.
That on 8/6/2015, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said
copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing
said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery receptacle
located in the Clerk’s office.

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William Charles Cooper
13784 Rocky Top Road
Sonora, CA 95370-8538

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Dated: 8/6/2015

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Richard W. Wieking
Clerk, United States District Court
<<s>>
By:__ ______________________
Nikki Riley for Lisa R. Clark,
Deputy Clerk to the
Honorable James Donato

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