Opinion ID: 2360393
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Complaint of Queen Payton

Text: Ms. Payton's complaint was similar to that of Ms. Manns. Ms. Payton had filed a Chapter 13 proceeding in Bankruptcy Court, but a foreclosure proceeding against her home was scheduled for November 7, 2003. Respondent was retained by Ms. Payton to file a second Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding on her behalf in order to delay the scheduled foreclosure. At their initial meeting, Ms. Payton entered into an agreement to pay respondent a total flat fee of $1,500$800 for filing of a new bankruptcy proceeding, $200 for filing fees for the second Chapter 13 bankruptcy action, and $500 for respondent's efforts to obtain a discharge under a pending Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding. Ms. Payton paid an initial $700 to respondent and agreed to pay the remaining balance over time. In November, 2003, Ms. Payton received a letter from the bankruptcy trustee informing her that she could not be discharged under the pending Chapter 13 proceeding because respondent had filed a late claim with respect to unpaid Baltimore City real property taxes. Ms. Payton consented to an increase in the base amount in the bankruptcy plan, which apparently resulted in her obtaining a discharge. Respondent failed to file a second bankrupt proceeding on behalf of Ms. Payton. Following numerous attempts to reach respondent over a period of a couple of months, Ms. Payton finally spoke with respondent and advised him that she was unhappy with the services he provided and requested a partial refund of the fees she had paid him. Respondent eventually refunded $200 to Ms. Payton which represented the amount collected to pay the court costs associated with the second bankruptcy petition. It was only after Ms. Payton retained a new counsel was Ms. Payton successful in keeping her home. On June 18, 2004, Ms. Payton filed a complaint with Bar Counsel that respondent failed to provide services agreed upon in their fee agreement. Like the other cases herein, respondent failed to respond to Bar Counsel's inquiries until after a second request was sent to him. He then failed to respond to further inquiries from Bar Counsel seeking additional information. In the Petition for Disciplinary Action, Bar Counsel alleged that respondent had violated MLRPC 1.3, 1.5, 1.16 and 8.1. The hearing judge concluded that respondent had violated only MLRPC 1.4which was not alleged in Bar Counsel's petition, by failing to respond to approximately ten attempts by Ms. Payton to reach him. Bar Counsel took exception to the hearing judge's conclusion since the charge was not included in the original petition. We sustain Bar Counsel's exception as to Rule 1.4 and hold that the hearing judge erred in finding a violation. Similarly, we sustain Bar Counsel's exceptions to the hearing judge's failure to find a violation of MLRPC 1.3 and 8.1. Respondent violated Rule 1.3 by failing to act diligently in representing Ms. Payton in her bankruptcy action and Rule 8.1 by failing to respond to Bar Counsel's inquiries. We will, however, overrule Bar Counsel's exceptions as to MLRPC 1.5 and 1.16.