Opinion ID: 1297972
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Signing satisfaction of judgment

Text: Respondent represented Diane James in a proceeding seeking to increase alimony. When James initially entered into the fee agreement with respondent, James' father, Robert Roberts, signed as guarantor. James's ex-husband, Gary Rank, owed Roberts $6,500 from a loan which Rank had failed to repay. An Ohio attorney obtained a judgment against Rank for Roberts. Thereafter, a check for $8,192.61 as satisfaction of the judgment was sent to respondent for Roberts. Respondent deposited this into her account on December 23, 1991. Respondent, however, did not take steps to satisfy the judgment. In October 1992, Rank's attorney inquired as to why respondent had failed to satisfy the judgment. Respondent immediately signed Roberts's name to the satisfaction of judgment form and filed it with the court. Respondent also signed the form as a witness and had her paralegal notarize the signatures. Respondent attempted to justify her actions by stating Roberts had signed the fee agreement as guarantor. She contends the fee agreement was a power of attorney which gave respondent the authority to sign Roberts's name. Respondent herself repeatedly denied Roberts was her client and, furthermore, respondent did not follow the formalities which a power of attorney requires. Respondent also claims in the end Roberts ratified his signature and no one was damaged by her action. Even so, respondent's actions were improper under the Rules of Professional Conductthis is not a civil action between the parties involved. The forgery of a signature on a court document is a fraud upon the court; we cannot conceive of any justification for such conduct. In the Matter of McGuinn, 272 S.C. 366, 252 S.E.2d 122 (1979). We find respondent's signing and notarizing Roberts's name was misconduct.