Margolis's Case

Citations

• 269 Pa. 206
• 12 A.L.R. 1186
• 112 A. 478
• 1921 Pa. LEXIS 538

Syllabus

<p>Attorneys-at-law — Disbarment—Disloyal conduct — Opposing conscription — Distributing matter barred from mails — Anarchism, etc. —Review—Appeal.</p> <p>1. The standard of personal and professional integrity which should be applied to attorneys at law, is not satisfied hy such conduct as merely enables them to escape the penalties of the criminal law.</p> <p>2. The appellate court will not reverse an order of the lower court disbarring an attorney, where it appears the right to take such action had been impartially considered and prudently exercised.</p> <p>3. An attomey-at-law is properly disbarred where it appears that he encouraged others hy his addresses to violate the laws of the land, and prepare and equip themselves to own the industries and mines of the state, and to use force, if necessary for such purpose; that he distributed printed matter barred from the mails; that he was an active member of the Anti-Conscription League, and distributed its literature urging men not to enlist, in violation of a federal statute; and that he acknowledged he was an anarchist, a Bolshevik, and a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and of the Union of Russian Workers.</p> <p>4. Such conduct, if indulged in hy any one would tend to wrongdoing, hut in the case of an attorney, whose duty it is to uphold the law and not encourage the breach thereof, it constitutes a positive disregard of tbe official obligation which he solemnly entered into when he took his oath of office.</p>