Opinion ID: 1727168
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Count IThe Smith Matter

Text: In September 1998, Corinthian Smith retained respondent to represent his seventeen-year old daughter, Nicole Smith, who had been issued a misdemeanor summons after she attempted to use her mother's driver's license to enter a casino in Lake Charles. Based upon respondent's misrepresentation to Mr. Smith that the charge against Nicole was a felony, Mr. Smith agreed to pay respondent $2,500 to handle the matter. Of the sum paid by Mr. Smith, $2,000 represented respondent's attorney's fees for defending the felony charge, with the remaining $500 to cover court costs and the fees associated with expungement. Respondent performed no work on Nicole's behalf other than accompanying her to the Sulphur City Court for arraignment, where in accordance with standard practice she pled guilty and was fined $100. The fine and court costs were paid by Mr. Smith, and were not taken from the cost funds previously paid to respondent for that purpose. The ODC alleges that respondent's conduct in the Smith matter violated the following provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct: Rules 1.5 (fee arrangements) and 8.4(c) (engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation).