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Zachary A. Cross (2016)
necessaryelement ofwhich involvesinterferencewith theadministrationofjustice. Sup. Ct. R.37(9)(b).Seriouscrimesincludeany felony,as wellas any lessercrime a 2. Each ofthe crimes setforthin 1.a.and b.above constitutea "seriouscrime" pursuantto
had a personalrelationship. filewithouta finding"the speeding violationofNicoleVan Eden, with whom he b. Officialoppressioncontrary to RSA643:1,a misdemeanor, when he "placedon
and a. Possession ofa controlled drug contrary toRSA 318-B:2(oxycodone), a felony;
he pledguiltyto thefollowingcrimes: thatreflectadverselyon alawyer'shonesty,trustworthinessor fitnessas alawyer,when 1. Mr. CrossviolatedN.H. R. Prof. Conduct 8.4(b),prohibiting"criminalacts"by a lawyer
FINDINGS
Memorandum on Sanction,theCommittee approves the JointProposed Order (Tab 13). (Tab 5), thetranscriptoftheJanuary19,2016 oral argument (Tab 12), and theJoint Having reviewedtheRecord consistingof13 tabbed entries,includingMr. Cross'sconvictions theRecord inthe above matter.David M. Rothstein,Chair and PeterG. Beeson were recused. On March 15,2016, theProfessionalConduct Committee (the"Committee") deliberated
AND ORDER ON COSTS
RECOMMENDATION: THREE YEAR SUSPENSION WITH CONDITIONS
LD-2014-0011 In the MatterofZachary A. Cross
ScottH. Harris BarbaraJ. Guay, LegalAssistant Richard H. Darling* * non attorneymember Susan R. Chollet* Martha Van Oot PeterG. Beeson Richard D. Sager ElaineHolden,* Vice Chair 603-224-5828 ♦ Fax 228-9511 Georges J. Roy* Heather E. Krans, Vice Chair Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Mona T. Movafaghi David M. Rothstein,Chair 4 Chenell Drive,Suite 102 Margaret R. Kerouac
a committeeofthe attorneydiscipline system ProfessionalConduct Committee New Hampshire Supreme Court Page 2of3 for guidance indisciplinarymatters. Morse's Case, 160 N.H. 538, 547(2010). 1Althoughthe Standards havenotbeenadoptedby theNew HampshireSupremeCourt,itlookstothe Standards
attachedtotheJointProposed Order as Exhibit1;(2)not engage in any furtherprofessional include that Mr. Cross (1) comply with all the conditions set forth in theMonitoringAgreement appropriate discipline in this matter is a three year suspension with conditions. The conditions Having made theaforementionedfindings and rulings, theCommittee concludesthat the
SANCTION
departurefrom thesanctionofdisbarment. 9. The mitigatingfactorsoutweigh theaggravatingfactorsallowingfor adownward
towards theproceedings;inexperience in the practiceoflaw; and remorse. problems; full and free disclosure to the Attorney Discipline Office;cooperativeattitude 8. The mitigatingfactors are: Absenceofa priordisciplinaryrecord;personaloremotional
7. The only aggravatingfactoris the illegalconduct.
MITIGATING AND AGGRAVATING FACTORS
suspensionunder Section5.12. sanctionunder the Standards could eitherbe disbarment under Section5.11 or and the felonypossessionwas for simple possession. Thepartiesagree that thebaseline 6. Section5.1 isinstructivein this matter, as theofficialoppressionpleawas a misdemeanor
amount (threepills)ofoxycodone for hispersonuse. distribution orimportationofcontrolled substances, but ratherpossessionofa small in his conductregardingthe speeding violation. His felony plea did not involve the sale, 5. The official oppression plea stated that Mr. Cross acted"knowingly"(not intentionally)
justice"or the"sale,distributionor importationofcontrolledsubstances." necessaryelement ofwhich" is"intentionalinterferencewith theadministrationof disbarment thepresumptivesanction for cases involving serious criminal conduct "a adverselyon thelawyer'sfitness topracticelaw." Standards Section5.11(a)makes integrity, such as where lawyers commit crimes or engage in otherconductthat "reflects ({'"Standards"),x Section5.1appliestocasesinvolvingfailuretomaintainpersonal 4. The American Bar Association Standardsfor Imposing Lawyer Sanctions (1992)
RULINGS
public confidence in the Bar and harming the integrityoftheprofession. profession by committing crimes, and that the conduct caused injury by diminishing 3. The parties agree that Mr. Cross acted knowingly, that he violated his duty to the Page 3 of3 violation of the JointProposed Order. onoraboutDecember2015,which occurredduringthependencyoftheseproceedings,shallnotconstitutea The CommitteeconcursthatanyprosecutionorconvictionofMr. Crossregardingan arrestfordomesticviolence
File Donald L. Blaszka, Jr., Esquire cc: Sara S. Greene,DisciplinaryCounsel
Vice Chair HeafherETKrans
March 25, 2016
8.4(a).The Joint Proposed Order is thereforeapproved. threeyearswithconditionsasspecifiedaboveforviolatingN.H. R.Prof.Conduct8.4(b)and Forall of theabovereasons,theCommitteerecommendsMr. Crossbesuspendedfor VI CONCLUSION
investigationand prosecutionofthis matter. The Committee recommends Mr. Cross be responsible for all costs associated with the V. COSTS
156 N.H. 361, 365 (2007)(quotationandcitationomitted). the integrity of the legal profession, and prevent similar conduct in the future." Grew's Case, inflictpunishmentbutrathertoprotectthepublic,maintainpublicconfidencein thebar,preserve alsoinaccordwiththe Standards. The purposeof the Court'sdisciplinarypower"is not to Case 158 N.H. 303 (2009); Richmond'sCase, 152 N.H. 155,159-60(2005).Thissanctionis recommendedsanctionis inaccordwiththepurposesofattorneydiscipline. Seee.g.,Conner's misconduct;and (3) notengagein anyfurthercriminalconduct.2The Committee's