Rossline Agnes Fane JANES

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Ms Janes, a solicitor, appeared before a District Court Judge and, in a sworn affidavit and oral submissions, falsely represented that her briefed counsel (Ms Moody) had been unconcerned about court time limits, had provided a deficient outline of argument, and could not produce an amended one in time. In fact Ms Moody had advised the appeal was incompetent and provided submissions supporting an adjournment application, never an outline for the appeal itself. The Tribunal preferred Ms Moody's evidence, found the charge and particulars made out, and characterised the conduct as professional misconduct for misleading the court. It found it immaterial whether the misleading was deliberate dishonesty or gross carelessness (per Hackett), so no express finding of dishonesty was made. She was publicly reprimanded, fined $10,000 (180 days to pay), and ordered to pay $2,000 costs (30 days).

Duties found breached:

• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Lack of insight into the seriousness of her conduct
• Persisted in blaming counsel, potentially damaging Ms Moody's professional reputation
• Swore an affidavit in the disciplinary proceedings inconsistent with her own file notes (further untruths or gross carelessness)
• Vigorously contested the charges

Mitigating factors:

• No previous adverse disciplinary findings / otherwise unblemished record
• Generally cooperative and responsive throughout investigation and proceedings
• Made some admissions of fact
• No evidence of further offending
• Relative inexperience in litigation