Opinion ID: 2334085
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The (John) Arendt Matter

Text: Early in 1986, John Arendt (`Grievant') retained respondent to object to a motion filed by his ex-wife, seeking to hold him in contempt for failure to make child-support payments. Although the motion was originally returnable on January 17, 1986, it was adjourned to March 7, 1986. Respondent neither filed an objection to the motion in grievant's behalf, nor appeared in court on the return date of the motion. As a result, the court entered an order holding grievant in contempt and requiring him to convey his one-half interest in the marital home to his ex-wife. When grievant apprised respondent of the contempt order, respondent offered to file a motion to vacate it. On March 21, 1986, he prepared an affidavit in support of the motion. As of July 10, 1986, four months later, grievant had not been told whether the motion had been filed. When grievant sought to obtain the return of his file, directly at first, and then through his new attorney, respondent refused to release it. As of the date of the ethics hearing, September 19, 1986, respondent had not returned the file to grievant. As of that same date, the judgment which grievant's ex-wife obtained against him was still in effect.