State Supreme Court suspends Las Vegas lawyer Stuhff for 60 days

Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000 | 11:06 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Michael Stuhff, a Las Vegas attorney who had seven prior reprimands for questionable behavior, was ordered suspended today by the Nevada Supreme Court for 60 days.

In a 4-3 majority decision, the court said Stuhff also must take part in an office management program for at least one year after his suspension is completed. And he must repay a former client, who filed a claim against him, and the cost of the disciplinary action.

Stuhff was hired in 1991 to represent Barbara Melvin, who claimed her civil rights were violated by Metro Police when they searched her apartment. She said the apartment was ransacked and that she was harassed and humiliated during the search.

Stuhff filed the suit in federal court but never pursued the case, which was dismissed in December 1992.

Melvin also asked Stuhff to file suit to recover damages for injuries suffered in a car accident in which her medical bills were about $7,700. Stuhff never filed the suit, but he gave Melvin $1,500 so she could hire another attorney.

After Stuhff filed for personal bankruptcy in 1993, Melvin lodged a creditor's claim against him. He agreed to make payments to her, but the bankruptcy trustee misapplied the funds owed to Melvin to another creditor.

Melvin filed grievances with the state Bar of Nevada. The Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board recommended a suspension of six months and one day from the practice of law. Stuhff appealed, saying he should only receive a reprimand.

In its opinion today, the Supreme Court said Stuhff has an extensive disciplinary history of four private reprimands and three public reprimands. The majority said it appears Stuhff is a capable trial attorney but his law practice management skills are marginal.

It said the six months and one day suspension was too harsh but that reprimands "have not motivated Stuhff to conform his conduct to the standard required of attorneys licensed in this state."

In the majority were Chief Justice Bob Rose and Justices Miriam Shearing and Myron Leavitt. Justice Bill Maupin concurred but said he would have preferred a public reprimand.

"Suspension would, in my view, serve very little purpose, given that Stuhff underwent a comprehensive mentoring program in connection with other disciplinary issues years after the offenses that are the subject of this particular proceeding," Maupin said.

"However, to insure that the less severe suspension be imposed, I concur. ..."

The three other justices -- Deborah Agosti, Cliff Young and Nancy Becker -- favored the six months, one day suspension.

The court also temporarily suspended Las Vegas lawyer Ronald Cordes, pending resolution of three complaints against him by the bar association.

The three complaints involve 17 different clients. He is accused of misappropriation of settlement funds, charging unreasonable fees, misrepresentations to the courts and failure to account for the fees paid him.