Facts
The appellant, lawyer Dr. [X.] , had retained a portion of the criminal case files that had been made available to him for inspection after the discontinuation of criminal proceedings against him. This was because he feared that the account statements contained therein would jeopardize attorney-client confidentiality. The public prosecutor's office then demanded the return of the files, which the appellant initially refused. The Supervisory Commission for Lawyers in the Canton of Zurich subsequently imposed a disciplinary fine of 1,000 Swiss francs on the appellant for violating his duty to practice the profession with care and diligence. The appellant appealed the decision of the Supervisory Commission and the subsequent decision of the Administrative Court of the Canton of Zurich to the Federal Supreme Court.Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. It stated that lawyers to whom court files are made available for inspection must handle them carefully and return them promptly without being asked. The appellant had violated this duty by retaining parts of the files on his own authority, instead of pursuing the…