In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ju n e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5Y0 9 0 4. S 1 5 Y0 9 0 5 . IN THE MATTER OF MELIS S A JILL S TARLING.

P ER CURIAM.

Th e se d isc ip lin a ry m a tte rs a re b e fo re th e Co urt o n th e Re p o rts a n d

Re c o m m e nd a t i o n s o f th e Sp e c ia l Ma ste r, Ja c k J. H e lm s, Jr., in wh ic h h e

re c o m m e n d s th a t Re sp o n de n t Me lissa Jill Sta rl i n g ( S t a te Ba r No

. 6 76 6 3 0 ) b e

d isb a rre d f

o r h e r v io la tio ns o f Ba r Ru le s 1

. 3

, 1 .4

, 1 .1 6 (b ), 1 .1 6 (d ) a nd 3 .2 in

S 1 5 Y0 9 0 4

, a nd Ru le s 1 .3

, 1 .4 a n d 1 .1 6 (d ) in S 15 Y 0 9 0 5

, se e G e o rg ia Ru le s o f

P ro fe ssio n a l Co n d u c t, Ba r Ru le 4 -1 0 2 (d ).

S 1 5 Y 0 9 0 4

In th is c a se

, a c lie n t p a id S ta rlin g $ 1,0 0 0 in Oc to b e r 2 0 0 8 to re p re se n t h e r

in a p e rso n a l in

ju ry c la im

. Two we e k s la te r S ta rlin g se n t a le tte r to o p p o s in g

c o u n se l d e sc rib in g th e c lie n t’s in ju r i es a n d in F e b ru a ry 2 0 0 9 S ta rlin g se n t a

le tte r with c o p ie s o f m e d ic a l bills re la te d to th e in ju rie s to Sta te F a rm In su ra n c e

Co m p a n y ’s re p re se n ta tiv e

. In Ju ly 2 0 0 9 S ta rlin g p a r t i c ip a te d in a p h o n e

c o n fe re n c e in w h ic h h e r c lie n t p ro vid e d a re c o rd e d sta te m e n t to th ere p re se n ta tiv e a n d th e ne x t d a y S ta rlin g se n t a le tte r to th e re p re se n ta tiv e sta tin g

th a t sh e wa s e n c lo sin g d ia gn o stic no t es a n d o th e r d oc u m e n ts re la tin g to h e r

c lie n t’s e x p e n se s. In De c e m b e r 2 0 0 9 S ta rlin g se n t a le tte r to a Cin c in n a ti

In su ra n c e Co m

p a n y re p re se n ta ti v e d e m a n din g se ttle m e n t in th e a m o u n t o f

$ 4 0

, 0 0 0

. In Ap ril 2 0 1 0 th e S ta te F a rm re pre se n ta tiv e a d v ise d S ta rlin g th a t

p a y m e n t o f m e d ic a l e x p e n se s wa s a v a ilab le u p to $5

, 0 0 0

. In M a y 2 0 1 0 S ta rlin g

re p lie d th a t sh e wo u ld in itia te litig a tio n if th e re wa s n o se ttle m e n t o ffe r, b u t sh e

d id n o t in fo rm he r c lie n t th a t sh e wa s d e m a n d in g $4 0 ,0 0 0

, n o r d id sh e d isc u ss

n e g o t i a t io n a nd a lte rn a te se ttle m e n t with h e r c lie nt. Th e c lie n t o b ta in e d a n d

p a id fo r he r m e d ic a l re c o rd s a n d p ro v id e d th e m to S ta rlin g

, b ut S ta rlin g d id n o t

fo rwa rd th e m to th e c la im s re pre se n ta tiv e a n d d id n o t c o n siste ntly re sp on d to h is

c a lls. S ta rlin g d id n o t file a c o m p la in t o n h e r c lie n t’s b e h a lf e v e n th o u g h sh e

b e lie v e d th e sta tu te o f lim ita tio n s wo uld e x p ire o n o r a b o u t Ju n e 1 5

, 2 0 1 0

. On

o r a b o u t Ju ly 22

, 2 0 1 0, a fte r th e lim ita tio n s p e rio d h a d e xp ire d, S ta rlin g a sk e d

h e r c lie n t to sig n a ve rific a tio n fo r th e c o m p la in t, wh ic h sh e d id th e n e x t d a y

.

S h o rtly th e re a fte r, ho w e v e r, S t a r lin g c a lle d h e r c lie n t a n d to ld h e r th a t sh e

wo u ld n o t p u rsu e th e litig a tio n a n d se n t h e r a c o p y o f th e un file d c o m p la in t with

n o fu rth e r e x p la n a tio n

.

2Th e S ta te Ba r file d a F o rm a l Co m p la in t a g a in st S ta rlin g

, w h o

a c k n o w l e d g e d s e r vic e o n Au g u st 1 0

, 2 0 1 2

, b u t sh e d id n o t su b m it a n a n swe r

with in 3 0 d a y s a s re q u ire d u n d e r Ba r Ru le 4-2 1 2

. On Ja n u a ry 1 7

, 2 01 3 th e S ta te

Ba r file d a m o tio n fo r d e fa u lt p u rsu a nt to B a r Ru le 4 -2 1 2 (a ). On Fe b ru a ry 1 5

,

2 0 1 3 Sta rlin g fa x e d a Mo tio n fo r Ex te n sio n o f Tim e to File An swe r to th e

sp e c ia l m a ste r, b u t sh e d id n o t file it with th e Cle rk o f th e S ta te Di s c ip lin a ry

Bo a rd o r se rv e it o n Ba r c ou n se l. Th e sp e c i a l m a s te r fo u n d th a t th e m o tio n

,

w h ic h wa s no t su p p o rte d by a b rie f, do e s n o t se t fo rth a le g a lly su ffic ie n t

e x p la n a tio n fo r S ta r l i n g ’s fa ilu re to file a tim e ly a n swe r. Alth o u g h sh e

m e n tio n e d h e a lth p ro b le m s, sh e d id n o t pro v id e a n y d o c u m e n ta tio n in su p p o rt.

Th e sp e c ia l m a ste r g ra n te d th e S ta te Ba r’s m o tio n fo r d e fa ult a nd fo u n d th a t th e

fa c ts a l le g e d a n d v io la tio n s c h a rg e d in th e F o rm a l Co m p la in t are d e e m e d

a d m itte d

. He h e ld th a t S ta rlin g v io la te d Ru le 1

. 2 b y fa ilin g to a de q u a te ly

d isc u ss a n d a llo w h e r c lie n t to m a k e d e c isio n s r e g a r d in g se ttle m e n t o p tio n s;

v io la te d Ru le 1 .3 by fa ilin g to file a n a c tio n o n h e r c lie n t’s b e ha lf b e fo r e th e

sta tu te o f lim ita tio ns e x p ire d a n d a b a n d on in g th e re p re se n ta tio n with o u t ta k in g

a n y a c tio n to p r o te c t h e r c lie n t’s in te re sts; v io la te d Ru le 1 .4 b y fa ilin g to

m a in ta in re a so n a

b le c o m m u n ic a tio ns with h e r c lie n t; v io la te d Ru le 1 .1 6 (b ) a n d

3(d ) b y te rm in a tin g th e re p r e s e n ta tio n with o u t g o o d c a use

, fa ilin g to p ro v id e

a d e q u a te n o tic e a

n d fa ilin g to ta k e a n y ste p s to pro te c t he r c lie n t’s in te re st; a n d

v io la te d R

u l e 3

. 2 b y fa ilin g to file h e r c lie nt’s c o m p la in t with in th e re q u ire d

tim e

. In a g g ra v a tio n of d isc ip lin e th e sp e c ia l m a ste r n o te d S ta rlin g ’s 1 9 9 3

In v e stig a tiv e P a n e l re p rim a n d a n d t h e disc ip lin a ry m a tte r p e n d in g a g a in st h e r

in S 1 5 Y0 9 0 5

. Be c a u se S ta rlin g ’s c lie n t su ffe re d th e lo ss o f he r c la im d u e to

S ta rlin g ’s fa ilu re to ta ke a c tio n to m e e t o r p re se rv e th e sta tu te of lim ita tio n s, a n d

lo st a n y o p p ortu n ity fo r re im b u rse m e n t o f h e r m e d ic a l e x p e nse s d u e t o

S ta rlin g ’s fa ilu re to c o n v e y th e in su re r’s offe r, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r d e e m e d h e r a

d a n g e r to th e p u b lic a n d re c o m m e n d e d in h is Se p te m b e r 8

, 20 14 re po rt th a t sh e

b e d isb a rre d

.

On S e p te m

b e r 29

, 2 0 1 4

, a fte r th e sp e c ia l m a ste r issu e d h is re p o rt, S ta rlin g

file d an u n tim e ly re sp on se to th e m o tio n fo r d e fa u lt se e k i n g a n e xte n sio n o f

tim e

, b u t with o u t c itin g a n y l e g a l a u th o rity

. T o a ffo rd S ta rlin g e v e ry

o p p ortu n ity

, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r lib e ra lly c o n stru e d th e filin g a s a m otio n to o p e n

d e fa u lt an d sc he d u le d a h e a rin g th a t wa s h e ld o n Ja n u a ry 1 2, 2 0 1 5

. P rio r to th e

h e a rin g S ta rlin g wa s a d v ise d th a t sh e w o u ld n e e d to a d d re ss th e sta tu to ry

re q u ire m e n ts fo r o p e n in g d e fa u lt, se e O C G A § 9 -1 1 -5 5 (b ), b u t th e sp e c ia l

4m a ste r n o te d th a t a t th e h e a rin g sh e “c o n tin u e d to d isp la y a n a la rm in g la c k o f

fa m ilia rity with fu nd a m e nta l le g a l p ro c e d u re .” S h e a c k no w le d g e d th a t sh e d id

n o t file a n a n swe r b e c a

use sh e d id n o t ta k e th e F o rm a l Co m p la in t se rio u sly

, b u t

b la m e d o th e rs fo r h e r la c k of c o n c e rn

, d id n o t file a fo rm a l m otio n to o p e n

d e fa u lt, a n d d id n o t sh o w a n y le g a l b a sis fo r o p e n in g d e fa u lt. In h e r m o tio n fo r

e x te n sio n o f tim e Sta rlin g sta te d th a t it wa s b a se d o n illn e ss th a t h a d ta k e n h e r

o u t o f t h e c o u n t y sin c e M a y 2 0 1 3 b e fo re th e filin g o f th e F o rm a l Co m p la in t.

Bu t th e F o rm a l Co m

p la in t wa s file d in Ju ly 20 12

, sh e a c kn o wle d ge d se rv ic e in

Au g ust 2 0 1 2 , a

n d h e r a nswe r wa s du e in S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 2

. Th e sp e c ia l m a ste r

a p p lie d OCGA § 9 -1 1-5 5 (b ), se e In th e Ma t t e r o f T u r k

, 2 67 Ga

. 3 0 (1 ) (4 7 1

S E2 d 8 4 2 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (OCGA § 9

- 1 1 -5 5 (b ) a p p lie s in d isc ip lin a ry p ro c e e d in g s)

a n d fo un d th a t Sta rlin g did n o t p ro pe r l y s e e k to o p e n d e fa u lt b e fo re fin a l

ju d g m e n t, a n d he r su b m issio n d id n o t m e e t th e re q uire m e n ts to o pe n d e fa u lt a s

sh e d id n o t p ro vid e a n y swo rn sta te m e nts, a ffid a v its or o th e r a d m issib le

e v id e n c e re g a rd in g h o w h e r h e a lth m a y h a ve p re v e n te d h e r fro m filin g a tim e ly

a n swe r, n or h a d sh e se t u p a m e rito rio u s d e fe n se a s h e r u n tim e ly a n swe r

c o n ta in e d o n ly ge n e ra l d e n ia ls. Ab se n t c o m plia n c e with th e c o nd itio n s to o p e n

d e fa u lt, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r h e ld th a t h e la c ke d disc re tio n to gra nt th a t re q u e s t.

5S e e Je sso n v. GCH & Asso c s., 2 4 8 Ga

. Ap p

. 9 7 (1 ) (5 4 5 SE2 d 64 5 ) (2 0 0 1 ).

An d e v e n if th e c o n d itio n s p r e c e d e nt c o u ld b e wa iv e d

, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r

o p in e d

, S ta rlin g d id n o t e sta blish a n y b a sis o n wh ic h de fa u lt c o uld b e o p e n e d

a s sh e d id n ot sh o w p ro v id e n tia l c a u se

, e x c u s a b l e n e g le c t o r a p ro p e r c a se to

a u th oriz e o p e n in g th e d e fa u lt. S e e Tu rk

, 2 6 7 Ga

. a t 3 0

. Th e s p e c i a l ma ste r

c o n c lu d e d th a t S ta rlin g d isp la y e d a c o n siste n t in a b i l ity o r u nwillin g n e ss to

c o m p ly with th e d isc ip lin a

ry ru le s an d th e Ge o rg ia Civ il P ra c tic e A c t, a n d th a t

h e r fa ilu re to d o so wh e n h e r o wn lic e n se to p ra c tic e la w is a t issu e re fle c ts a n

in a b ility to c o m

p e te n tly re p re se n t o th e rs a n d m irro rs he r c om p le te la c k o f

d ilig e n c e to h e r c lie n t’s g re a t d e trim e n t in th is m a tte r. F o r th o se re a so n s

, th e

sp e c ia l m a ste r d e n ie d th e m o tio n fo r e x te n sio n a n d re q u e st to o p e n d e fa u lt, a n d

a ffirm e d th e re c o m m e nd a tio n in h is re p o rt th a t S ta rlin g b e d isb a rre d

.

S 1 5 Y 0 9 0 5

In th is m a tte r, a c lie n t re ta in e d S ta rlin g to re p re se n t h im o n a n a g g ra v a te d

sta lk in g c ha rg e . S h e file d a n e n try o f a p p e a ra n c e a nd re q u e st fo r d isc o v e ry in

S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 2

. In re sp o nse to a n a rra ig n m e n t c a le nd ar, S ta rlin g file d a re q u e st

fo r a c o n tin u a nc e d u e to h e r h o sp ita liz a tio n

. A n a p p o in te d c o un se l e nte re d a n o t

g u ilty p le a o n th e c lie n t’s b e ha lf. S ta rlin g d id n o t c o m m u nic a te with th e c lie n t

6d u rin g th e re p re se n ta tio n

, d id n o t v is i t h i m

, and d id n o t re sp o nd to h is le tte rs

re q u e stin g a b o n d h e a rin g a n d m o tio n fo r sp e e d y tria l. Afte r six m o n th s o f n o

c o m m u nic a tio n th e c lie n t h ire d a n o th e r a tto rn e y

, wh o o b ta in e d a c o nse n t o rd e r

fo r bo n d a n d in Au g u st 2 0 1 3

, a ju d g m e n t o f n o lle p ro se q u i. S ta rlin g n e v e r file d

a m o tio n to w ith d ra w fro m th e c a se n o r re fu n d e d an y o f th e $ 7 5 0 fe e d e sp ite h e r

c lie n t’s re qu e st fo r a r e f

u n d

. Th e sp e c ia l m a ste r fo u n d th a t S ta rlin g v io la te d

Ru le 1 .3 b y fa ilin g to ta k e a c tio n o n h e r c lie n t’s c a se ; v io la te d Ru le 1 .4 b y

fa ilin g to m a in ta in re a so n a b le c o m m u n ic a tio n w ith h e r c lie n t; a n d v io la te d Ru le

1 .1 6 (d ) b y fa ilin g to file a m o tio n to with d ra w o r re fu n d th e u n e arn e d fe e

. A s

h e did with S 15 Y0 9 0 4

, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r v ie we d th is c a se in lig h t o f th e o th e r

p e n d in g m a tte r, a

n d d e te rm in e d th a t S ta rlin g ’s c o n du c t p re se n ts a p a tte rn o f la c k

o f d ilig e n c e in wh ic h h e r c lie n ts su ffe r h a rm

. T h e sp e c ia l m a ste r a g a in n o te d

S ta rlin g ’s p rio r d isc ip lin a ry h isto ry a s a n a gg ra v a tin g fa c to r a n d re c o m m e n d e d

th a t sh e b e d isb a rre d

.

As in S 1 5 Y0 9 0 4

, S ta rlin g d id n ot a re sp o n se to th e F o rm a l Co m p la in t

file d on Ju n e 2

, 2 0 1 4

, a n d th e S ta te B a r file d a m o tio n fo r d e fa u lt ju d g m e n t. S h e

a g a in file d a n u n t i me l y a n s w e r o n A u g u st 4

, 2 0 1 4

, an d th e n a re sp on se to th e

m o tio n fo r d e fa u lt a n d re qu e st fo r e x te n sio n o f tim e th re e we e k s a fte r th e sp e c ia l

7m a ste r issu e d h is re p o rt. Th e sp e c ia l m a ste r h e ld a c o m b in e d h e a rin g o n b o th

m a tte rs. Re g a rd in g th e in sta n t c a se

, S ta rlin g sta te d th a t wh e n sh e wa s se rv e d

with th e F o rm a l Co m

p la in t, “ I wa s still u nd e r th e im p re ssio n th a t it w a s le ss

th a n fo rm a l,” H. Tr., 4

, w h ic h th e sp e c ia l m a ste r fo u n d in c re dib le

, g iv e n th a t a

d e fa u lt m o tio n h a d b e e n p e n d in g a g a in st h e r in S 1 5 Y0 9 0 4 fo r o v e r a y e a r a n d

sh e h a d b e e n in te ri m su sp e n d e d in F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 4 fo r fa ilu re to re sp o n d

.

Alth ou g h sh e a lso sta te d th a t b y F e b ru ary a n d Ma r c h o f 2 01 4 sh e wa s ta k in g

e v e ry th in g v e ry se rio u sly

, th e sp e c ia l m a ste r fo u n d th a t sta te m e n t irre c o n c ilab le

with h e r sta te m e n t th a t wh e n se rv e d with th e F o rm a l Co m p la in t in Ju n e 2 0 1 4

,

s h e still fe lt it wa s “ le ss th a n fo rm a l.” Th e sp e c ia l m a ste r m a d e t h e s a me

fin d in g s a s to S ta rlin g ’s fa ilu re to e v e r file a fo rm a l m o tio n to o p e n d e fa u lt, a n d

fa ilu re to e sta blish a ny o f th e le g a l c o n d itio ns o r g ro un d s fo r o pe n in g d e f a ult.

He re a c h e d th e sa m e c o n c lu sio n s, d e n ie d S ta rlin g ’s m o tio n fo r e x te n sio n o f tim e

a n d re q ue st to o p e n d e fa u lt, a n d a ffirm e d h is re c o m m e n d a tio n o f d isb a rm e n t.

We h a v e re v ie we d th e re c o rd s in th e se c a s e s, a n d a gre e with th e sp e c ia l

m a ste r’s th o u g h tfu l a

n d th o ro u gh re p o rts a n d o rd e rs th a t d isb a rm e n t is th e

a p p ro p ria te sa n c ti o n in th e se m a tte rs. F or a ll th e re a so n s se t fo rth a b o v e

, we

h e re b y ord e r th a t th e n a m e o f Me lissa Jill S ta rlin g b e re m o v e d fro m th e ro lls o f

8p e rso n s e n title d to p ra c tic e la w in th e Sta te o f Ge o rg ia

. Sh e is re m in d e d o f h e r

d u tie s u n d e r Ba r Ru le 4 -2 1 9 (c ).

Disb a rre d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

9