Opinion ID: 2629251
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Elizabeth A. Mann Complaint (DA 8341)

Text: Respondent began representing Mann in her divorce action in May 2000. This was a highly contested divorce and initially respondent provided Mann with diligent representation and adequate communication. On October 12, 2000, opposing counsel, Ann Hansbrough, commenced a second round of discovery which included additional interrogatories and requests for document production. Respondent received and reviewed these requests. At the disciplinary hearing, Mann and respondent disagreed as to whether she received the second set of discovery requests. The panel carefully reviewed all the evidence presented on this point and concluded that respondent did not provide her with a copy. On December 6, 2000, Hansbrough still had not received the requested discovery and sent respondent a letter to that effect. When respondent failed to reply, Hansbrough filed a follow-up motion to compel, and thereafter Hansbrough and respondent agreed the requested discovery would be provided by January 15, 2001. The parties memorialized their agreement in a proposed journal entry signed by the district court on January 17, 2001. Respondent, however, failed to notify his client, Mann, of her obligation to complete the discovery. On February 13, 2001, Hansbrough sent respondent another letter requesting the discovery and expressing her intent to seek sanctions for nonproduction. Respondent received and reviewed the letter, but failed to notify or otherwise discuss the matter with Mann. On February 20, 2001, Hansbrough filed the motion for sanctions and a hearing was set for March 16, 2001. Neither respondent nor Mann appeared at the hearing. Respondent testified he never received the motion or notice of hearing. However, evidence in the record, including a confirmed fax report supplied by Hansbrough and respondent's own billing records, indicate otherwise. As a result of respondent's failure to attend the hearing, Mann received an order to appear and show cause why she should not be held in contempt of court and sanctioned for her failure to comply with the discovery order. The show cause hearing was scheduled for April 4, 2001. After being served with this order, Mann contacted respondent who assured her he would provide her with the discovery requests by March 31, 2001. After he failed to do so, Mann terminated respondent's representation, paid her account balance, and picked up her case file. Mann and her new attorney, Donna Manning, appeared at the April 4, 2001, show cause hearing. Mann explained that she was unaware of the discovery request until served with the show cause order and produced the requested discovery. That same day the district court sent respondent a letter inviting him to express, in writing, any reason why he should not reimburse Hansbrough for $704 in fees she billed for her efforts to obtain the requested discovery. Respondent did not respond as suggested and did not pay Hansbrough's fees until March 2003. Although Mann terminated respondent on April 3, 2001, respondent continued to bill against her account on 12 separate occasions dating from April 4, 2001, until October 26, 2001. Included in these charges were amounts totaling $750 for respondent's time spent responding to the disciplinary complaint Mann filed with the Administrative Disciplinary Commission of the Missouri Supreme Court. Respondent's records also reflect he credited her account $831.93 in April 2002. At the hearing respondent testified that he did not intend for Mann to be billed for his response to the disciplinary complaint. He explained he tracks all his time and that the bill was sent inadvertently. The panel noted inconsistencies in respondent's explanation and found his self-serving, inconsistent testimony to be disingenuous.