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10.27.2006

TS - New deputy DA has a troubled history - 10/27/2006

New deputy DA has a troubled history
Kimberly Wear The Times-Standard
Article Launched:10/27/2006 04:24:25 AM PDT

But he says, 'I'm ready to do good work for the county'

EUREKA -- The newest Humboldt County deputy district attorney was reprimanded by the California State Bar eight years ago, but says he learned from the experience and talked with his new employer about the situation.

”It was something that happened in 1998,” said Allan Dollison, who started work in the District Attorney's Office this week. “I've learned a lot and have done a lot of neat stuff since then.”

District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he knew about the discipline and talked with Dollison at length about what happened.

”It was quite a while ago,” he said. “He's certainly served the community since then. I have every indication he learned from his mistake and is going to be a great prosecutor.”

Dollison recently returned from service as an Army civil affairs officer in Afghanistan, where he received a combat action badge. He had been heading up the Public Defender's Office in Amador County near Tahoe.

Before that, Dollison served as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. protectorate near Guam.

Bar records show Dollison was disciplinedin August 2000 with a 60-day suspension and placed on two years' probation after stipulating to 16 counts of misconduct in four consolidated cases.

Those included failing to perform legal services competently or respond to client inquires; improperly withdrawing from representation; failing to return client files and unearned fees; and two counts of failing to cooperate with the bar's investigation.

”As part of one case Dollison was handling, he agreed to file a motion to set aside a default that had been entered against his client,” the bar summary states. “After not responding to his client's inquires, Dollison told her he had filed a motion that was denied in court. He provided a copy of the motion, a notice of ruling which stated an attorney had appeared on behalf of the other party.”

”In fact, Dollison never filed a motion, there was no hearing, he fabricated the notice of ruling and forged signatures on documents he sent to the client,” the report continues. “His misrepresentations were acts of moral turpitude.”

Another client had wages garnished. and others had to hire new counsel to complete their bankruptcy case, according to the state bar.

The report did note a mitigating factor that Dollison started a law practice soon after passing the bar, but “due to a lack of experience and business acumen, he accepted difficult cases for relatively low fees.”

”He abandoned several matters when he moved to a new office in order to stabilize his practice,” it read.

Dollison said he got in over his head as a new attorney and took on more than he could handle at the time. A lot has changed since then, and he has moved on, he said.
”I'm ready to do good work for the county,” Dollison said.

Kimberly Wear covers the cities of Eureka and Arcata. She can be reached at 441-0512 or kwear@times-standard.com
***
State Bar Association Allan Lee Dollison

RELATED:

More:
Like Gallegos, he did not go to an accredited Law School - Western State Univ was not an accredited Law School at the time Dollison attended.
It has recently become accredited.

Like Stoen and Schwartz, this guy likes to run for office:
Senatorial candidate suspended in 2000
Smart Voter - Philosophy
Smart Voter, March 2, 2004 Election - Our Environment
He also ran for the California Assembly in 1994.

Addtl link:
The AEB's agenda
2. DA can exploit his national notoriety by recruiting seasoned as well as fresh bright younger prosecuters

1336
SUPREME COURT MINUTES
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2000
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
S088328
In re Allan Lee Dollison on Discipline

It is ordered that Allan Lee Dollison, State Bar No. 177299, be suspended from the practice of law for one year and until he makes restitution to Lynda Maisterra (or the Client Security Fund, if appropriate) in the amount of $837.00, plus 10% interest per annum from September 1, 1997; to Francisco and Flor Cruz (or the Client Security Fund, if appropriate) in the amount of $625.00, plus 10% interest per annum from September 24, 1997, and furnishes satisfactory proof thereof to the Probation Unit, State Bar Office of the Chief Trial Counsel; and until he has shown proof satisfactory to the State Bar Court of his rehabilitation, fitness to practice and learning and ability in the general law pursuant to standard 1.4(c)(ii), Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct, that execution of suspension be stayed, and that he be placed on probation for two years on condition that he be actually suspended for 60 days and until he makes the restitution described above and provides satisfactory proof thereof to the Probation Unit. If he is actually suspended for two years or more, he shall remain actually suspended until he provides proof to the satisfaction of the State Bar of California of his rehabilitation, fitness to practice and learning and ability in the general law pursuant to standard 1.4(c)(ii), Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct. Allan Lee Dollison is also ordered to comply with the other conditions of probation recommended by the Hearing Department of the State Bar Court in its Order Approving Stipulation filed March 31, 2000. It is further ordered that he take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination within one year after the effective date of this order or during the period of his actual suspension, whichever is longer. (See Segretti v. State Bar (1976) 15 Cal.3d 878, 891, fn. 8.) It is further ordered that if he is actually suspended for 90 days or more, he shall comply with rule 955 of the California Rules of Court, and that he perform the acts specified in subdivisions (a) and (c) of that rule within 120 and 130 calendar days, respectively, after the effective date of this order.* Costs are awarded to the State Bar and and one-half of said costs shall be added to and become part of the membership fee for the years 2001 and 2002. (Bus. & Prof. Code section 6086.10.)
*(See Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6126, subd. (c).)

More:
Monday, October 23, 2006
State Bar Association Allan Lee Dollison http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=177299 - #177299

August 26, 2000
ALLAN LEE DOLLISON [#177299], 34, of Saipan was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual 60-day suspension and until he makes restitution and proves his rehabilitation, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Aug. 26, 2000.

Dollison stipulated to 16 counts of misconduct in four consolidated cases: three counts each of failing to perform legal services competently or respond to client inquiries and improperly withdrawing from representation, and two counts each of failing to return client files, refund unearned fees and cooperate with the bar’s investigation.

As part of one case Dollison was handling, he agreed to file a motion to set aside a default that had been entered against his client. After not responding to his client’s inquiries, Dollison told her he had filed a motion that was denied by the court. He provided a copy of the motion, a notice of ruling which stated an attorney had appeared on behalf of the other party.

In fact, Dollison never filed a motion, there was no hearing, he fabricated the notice of ruling and forged signatures on documents he sent to the client. His misrepresentations were acts of moral turpitude. He never refunded his fee.

He vacated his office and did not notify clients or the courts, he failed to appear at hearings and failed to follow court orders. Two cases were dismissed as a result of failure to prosecute. One client’s wages were garnished to pay a default judgment, and other clients were forced to hire new counsel to complete their bankruptcy petition.

In mitigation, Dollison started a solo practice soon after his admission to the bar, but due to a lack of experience and business acumen, he accepted difficult cases for relatively low fees. He abandoned several matters when he moved to a new office in order to stabilize his practice. He also suffered from depression and is under the care of a psychiatrist.
 
Profile Information
Bar Number 177299
District District 6
Undergraduate School California St Univ Fullerton; CA
County Riverside
Law School Western State Univ COL; Fullerton CA

Status History
Effective Date Status Change
Present Active
10/25/2000 Active
8/26/2000 Not Eligible To Practice Law
3/16/2000 Active
10/25/1999 Not Eligible To Practice Law
6/15/1995 Admitted to The State Bar of California
Explanation of member status
Actions Affecting Eligibility to Practice Law

Effective Date 8/26/2000
Description Discipline w/actual suspension
Case Number 97-O-18138 
Eligibility to Practice Law Not Eligible To Practice Law 

Effective Date 11/15/1999
Description Ordered inactive
Case Number 97-O-18526 
Eligibility to Practice Law Not Eligible To Practice Law 

Effective Date 10/25/1999
Description Ordered inactive
Case Number 97-O-18138 
Eligibility to Practice Law Not Eligible To Practice Law 

Administrative Actions
This member has no public record of administrative actions.

Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

California Bar Journal Discipline Summaries
Summaries from the California Bar Journal are based on discipline orders but are not the official records. Not all discipline actions have associated CBJ summaries. Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

© 2006 The State Bar of California

More:
(MPRE) Above means he was told to take an ethics course and pass the Multi-State Professional
Responsibility Exam.

Like Gallegos, he did not go to an accredited Law School - Western State Univ was not an accredited Law School at the time Dollison attended.
It has recently become accredited.

Like Stoen and Schwartz, this guy likes to run for office:
Senatorial candidate suspended in 2000
Smart Voter - Philosophy
Smart Voter, March 2, 2004 Election - Our Environment
He also ran for the California Assembly in 1994.

Addtl link:
The AEB's agenda
2. DA can exploit his national notoriety by recruiting seasoned as well as fresh bright younger prosecuters

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