In the Matter of George Michael Plumides, 311 Ga. 65

Supreme Court of Georgia disciplinary proceeding against attorney George Michael Plumides (State Bar No. 582274); Plumides was personally served but defaulted by failing to file a Notice of Rejection.
Plumides admitted to the Bar in 1990 and previously received a Formal Letter of Admonition (2002) and a Confidential Reprimand (2019); prior discipline was used as aggravation.
Defaulted allegations show a pattern of abandoning clients: missed calendar calls in multiple criminal matters (one led to a contempt arrest and five weeks in jail) and a missed traffic appearance that caused a client’s license/registration suspension.
Financial misconduct: settled two personal-injury cases but failed to account and disburse proceeds to at least one client; failed to maintain client funds in an IOLTA account; attempted to pay filing fees with a check on an account lacking sufficient funds.
Communication and process failures: failed to respond to clients’ requests, failed to timely respond to grievances and Notices of Investigation (one untimely, nonresponsive reply), and otherwise ignored disciplinary proceedings.
The State Disciplinary Board found violations of Rules 1.1, 1.2(a), 1.3, 1.15(I)-(III), 8.4(a)(4), and 9.3; multiple ABA aggravating factors applied and no mitigation was found; the Court ordered disbarment.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Effect of default	Bar: Plumides’s default admits allegations and waives right to an evidentiary hearing	None — Plumides failed to respond	Default; allegations deemed admitted; hearing waived
Rule violations	Bar: Pattern of client abandonment, mishandling client funds, failures to communicate/investigate violated listed Rules	None — no defense submitted	Court agreed violations occurred (Rules 1.1, 1.2(a), 1.3, 1.15(I)-(III), 8.4(a)(4), 9.3)
Appropriate sanction	Bar: Disbarment warranted given severity, prior discipline, and pattern of misconduct	None	Disbarment imposed; name removed from bar rolls
Aggravating/mitigating factors	Bar: Multiple aggravators (prior offenses, dishonest/selfish motive, pattern, multiple offenses, refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing, vulnerable victims, substantial experience, indifference to restitution); no mitigation	None	Court found the aggravators applicable and no mitigating factors; aggravated sanction supported

In the Matter of Morse, 266 Ga. 652 (1996) (endorsing use of ABA Standards in lawyer-discipline sanctions)
In the Matter of Rambeau, 302 Ga. 367 (2017) (disbarment for pattern of abandoning clients and misusing client funds)
In the Matter of Gibson, 297 Ga. 44 (2015) (disbarment where attorney abandoned clients and failed to respond in disciplinary proceedings)