Opinion ID: 2506574
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Shirley Varner Retains Respondent

Text: Respondent is a sole practitioner from Colorado Springs who specializes in family law. On June 12, 2003, Shirley Varner retained Respondent to represent her in a divorce case. Mrs. Varner was approximately fifty years old at the time. She had been married to Mr. Varner for thirty-four years and they had raised two children. She had retired from federal civil service with a disability for which she received approximately $785.00 per month. [3] At the time of the divorce, she suffered from depression, diabetes, recent back surgery, and emotional distress as a result of her son's recent suicide. When Mrs. Varner hired Respondent, her case had already been set for a final orders hearing. Soon after Ms. Varner retained Respondent, they entered into a written fee agreement where she initially paid him a retainer of $2,000.00. [4] In conferring with Respondent, Mrs. Varner advised him that she wanted to remain in the marital residence and secure her right to survivor benefits in her husband's federal retirement plan through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Equity in the marital residence and the husband's pension plan were the principal assets of the marital estate. [5] OPM rules and regulations outline the process a claimant must follow before they will alter the named beneficiary of a pension plan. A state court order may or may not be recognized by the OPM depending in part upon the language of the order and compliance with the OPM's regulations in processing such an order. In discussing her desire to obtain a survival benefit from her husband's federal retirement plan, Mrs. Varner asked Respondent if he had ever processed such a claim. Respondent assured her that he knew how to secure such benefits. As a result, Mrs. Varner expected him to process and secure the survival benefits in her husband's retirement plan.