Opinion ID: 1167668
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Durham Matter

Text: In September 1985, Andrew Durham retained petitioner to represent him in municipal court against a criminal charge of driving under the influence. Durham paid petitioner $800 in advance to represent him in the matter. Petitioner appeared on Durham's behalf at the arraignment and the matter was set for an October pretrial hearing. Petitioner advised Durham that his presence would not be required at the hearing. Petitioner failed to appear at the pretrial hearing, however, and a bench warrant was issued for Durham's arrest. After he received a copy of the bench warrant, Durham contacted petitioner. Petitioner told him that the warrant must have been erroneously issued, as he was in court on the date in question, and assured him that he would take care of it. (The State Bar Court found that petitioner's response constituted a wilful misrepresentation, as he knew the warrant had been issued because of his failure to appear.) After he received a second notice of the outstanding bench warrant, Durham attempted to contact petitioner but was unable to do so. As a result, Durham appeared in court by himself, the bench warrant was recalled and the matter set for pretrial hearing in December 1985. Petitioner appeared with Durham at the pretrial hearing and the case was set for a January 21 trial. Petitioner failed to appear on the date of trial, however. After the matter was called, Durham discussed his case with the deputy district attorney and entered into a plea bargain. Later in the morning, petitioner called the court to say that he would be unable to appear until the afternoon session. Durham informed the court that he had already worked out an agreement with the district attorney and had no further need of petitioner's services. Later, Durham wrote to petitioner requesting a refund of the $800 fee. Petitioner did not respond to the request or reimburse any of the fee. The State Bar Court found that petitioner's call to the court on the day of trial was so tardy as to give Durham a reasonable belief that he had been abandoned; that his failure to appear at the pretrial hearing or to give reasonable notice that he would be late for trial was wilful; that Durham's discharge of petitioner was justified; and that petitioner was in substantial default in his performance and therefore had not earned any of the fee. By his conduct, the State Bar Court found that petitioner had wilfully violated rules 2-111(A)(3) and 6-101(A)(2) and sections 6068, 6103 and 6106.