| Matter of Cheema, Zahra Mushtaq; Grievance Committee for the Tenth Jud |
| Motion No: 2020-04643 |
| Slip Opinion No: 2022 NY Slip Op 68695(U) |
| Decided on July 15, 2022 |
| Appellate Division, Second Department, Motion Decision |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| This motion is uncorrected and is not subject to publication in the Official Reports. |
Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department
M283947
E/sl
HECTOR D. LASALLE, P.J.
MARK C. DILLON
COLLEEN D. DUFFY
BETSY BARROS
LINDA CHRISTOPHER, JJ.
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2020-04643 In the Matter of Zahra Mushtaq Cheema, a disbarred attorney. Grievance Committee for the Tenth Judicial District, petitioner; Zahra Mushtaq Cheema, respondent. (Attorney Registration No. 5316609)
| DECISION & ORDER ON MOTION |
Motion by the respondent to vacate an opinion and order of this Court dated December 30, 2020, which disbarred her upon her default in answering a verified petition dated June 12, 2020, and to reopen the proceedings and declare the respondent's verified answer dated December 31, 2020, timely served and filed, nunc pro tunc. The respondent was admitted to the Bar at a term of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the Second Judicial Department on February 4, 2015.
Upon the papers filed in support of the motion and the papers filed in opposition thereto, it is
ORDERED that the motion is granted to the extent that the proceeding is reopened and the verified answer dated December 31, 2020, is deemed timely served and filed, nunc pro tunc, the parties are directed to proceed with the disciplinary proceeding upon the charges set forth in the verified petition dated June 12, 2020, the matter is referred to the Honorable Ralph T. Gazzillo, Post Office Box 196, Aquebogue, New York 11931, as Special Referee, to hear and report on the charges set forth in the verified petition, in which evidence in mitigation and aggravation may be presented, with the hearing to be completed within 60 days of the date of this decision and order on motion, or as soon thereafter as practicable, and the report, which contains the Special Referee's findings on the issues and the charges, to be submitted within 60 days after the conclusion of the hearing or the submission of post-hearing memoranda, and it is further,
ORDERED that the motion is otherwise held in abeyance in the interim.
LASALLE, P.J., DILLON, DUFFY, BARROS and CHRISTOPHER, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Maria T. Fasulo
Clerk of the Court