Opinion ID: 2093603
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Wrede Matter

Text: In the fall of 1971, complainant retained the respondent to handle an uncontested divorce. The matter soon became contested. Final judgment was not entered until the spring of 1973. During the course of litigation, the marital home was sold, and since the complainant had moved to California, respondent was to handle the receipt and disbursement of the proceeds of sale. $6,000 of the proceeds were disbursed at the time of closing but it was not until the spring of 1974, after inquiries by Mrs. Wrede's relatives, that respondent reviewed his files and determined that an additional $6,578.26 was owed to the client. Respondent's trust account was overdrawn on the day of the check's presentment. Respondent later determined that his earlier calculations were incorrect and that another $720 was due to the client. Only after the committee investigator prodded the respondent did he issue a replacement check for $6,578.26 and a second for $720.