Opinion ID: 2602333
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: The Mercado Matter

Text: 1. Jovoni Mercado hired respondent to represent her in a dissolution of marriage action on January 12, 2000. Ms. Mercado paid respondent a retainer of $300.00 at the time she retained his services. 2. Respondent did not file a petition for dissolution of marriage on Ms. Mercado's behalf until March 26, 2000. He took no other action on her case. 3. Thereafter, respondent would not communicate with Ms. Mercado, despite Ms. Mercado's repeated attempts to communicate with respondent. Mercado's attempts to communicate with respondent included leaving telephone messages for him at his office and home telephone numbers. 4. On September 13, 2000, Ms. Mercado filed a motion to have respondent removed from her case. The motion was granted.