RICARDO H. SILVAS v. COMMISSION FOR LAWYER DISCIPLINE

On March 7, 2002, the Board of Disciplinary Appeals affirmed the judgment of public reprimand against Corpus Christi attorney Ricardo H. Silvas, 50, signed August 20, 2001 by the evidentiary panel of the State Bar District 011A grievance committee in case number S1020002479. The Board found substantial evidence to support the panel's findings that Silvas violated Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct 1.01(b)(1)(neglecting a legal matter) and 1.03(b)(failure to explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary for the client to make an informed decision). Silvas was hired to pursue a motion for new trial for a client who had lost custody of her children at trial. The original hearing on the motion was continued because the reporter's record from the trial was not ready. Silvas failed to appear at the resetting, and the matter was dismissed for want of prosecution. Silvas failed to timely notify the client of the dismissal.