Opinion ID: 1379246
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Geneva Frances Matter

Text: Geneva Frances retained Respondent on August 22, 1996 to represent her regarding an automobile accident. The retainer agreement specified a one-third contingency fee. In addition, Respondent drew up a contract for expenses which provided, among other things, for research and investigation at the rate of $65.00 per hour and secretarial services at the rate of $10.00 per hour. This document was dated August 22, 1996. Respondent forged Ms. Frances's signature on the contract and notarized her forged signature. Respondent settled Ms. Frances's case in March of 1997 for $30,000 and received a partial disbursement of settlement funds. Respondent immediately wrote himself a check for $15,000, claiming the extra $5,000 was for investigative services. An undated Disbursement Sheet showed funds for investigative services in the amount of $5,427.50. However, at the time of disbursement, no detailed itemization of the investigative work was presented to Ms. Frances. The undated Disbursement Sheet showed only legal assistant expense, 83.5 hours$65.00 per hour. The Disbursement Sheet also included a charge of $536.50 for paper, fax, stamps, copies, gasoline and mileage, phone, electricity, and the investigator's expense to review the accident scene. These bills were improper because Respondent's fee was based on a contingency agreement. A copy of this document was not given to Ms. Frances at the time of disbursement. Respondent disbursed only $3,195.60 to Ms. Frances, and no disbursement was made to medical providers at that time. When Ms. Frances met with an attorney from the South Carolina Bar's Fee Dispute Resolution Board, she saw for the first time a document bearing her forged signature, stating that she received and approved the personal injury disbursement from her case on March 26, 1997. Toumey Hospital treated Ms. Frances for her injuries related to the automobile accident. Ms. Frances's medical expenses totaled $9,430.54. Respondent did not pay Toumey out of the settlement. A collection agency contacted Ms. Frances concerning her unpaid bill at Toumey. Ms. Frances contacted Respondent's office, requesting information and a copy of her file. Respondent provided Ms. Frances with a copy of her file, but tried to charge her $91.25 for the copy, including one hour's work at $65.00 per hour, as opposed to the $10.00 per hour fee for secretarial service set forth in the Settlement Costs and Expenses Agreement. Respondent eventually paid Ms. Frances's medical bills on May 15, 1997. During the time of delay, Respondent allowed the balance of his trust account to drop as low as $6,326.60 during two months. Payment of Ms. Frances's medical bills was therefore made with funds owed to other clients. During the course of representation, Respondent advanced $1,000 and $100 to Ms. Frances. These advances were made from funds owed to other clients. Respondent later claimed these advances were to pay specified medical bills in even amounts of $1,000 and $100, even though no such bills existed. Respondent claimed to have employed Robert Moore as an investigator regarding the Geneva Frances matter. Mr. Moore had no prior investigative experience and no experience researching medical matters. Mr. Moore stated he made approximately 407 copies of documents at the Medical University of South Carolina regarding hand injuries. Mr. Moore testified he made a hand-written summary of his investigation, but no copy was located and no correspondence from Respondent to Ms. Frances's insurance carrier or physician reflects any such research. Mr. Moore's cellular telephone records, for at least one of the days he claimed to be in Charleston doing research, showed calls attributable to a cell tower that did not serve the Charleston area. Respondent falsely testified before the Commission on Lawyer Conduct that the documents supposedly obtained by Mr. Moore were used to enhance his position when negotiating Ms. Frances's case. Mr. Moore did not prepare itemized bills for his time and expenses on the Geneva Frances case. Respondent and Mr. Moore both testified at their Notices of Appearance that Respondent paid Mr. Moore over $5,000 in cash for his services. Mr. Moore testified he maintains no checking or savings account and did not deposit the money, but simply used it over the course of time. Ms. Frances complained to Respondent about the disbursement of funds, payment owed to medical providers, and investigator's fee. In response, Respondent wrote a letter to Ms. Frances dated June 13, 1997, stating that if she complained to the South Carolina Bar and others, he would sue her for $500,000 for slander per se and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In a letter to Ms. Frances dated June 14, 1997, Respondent threatened to have her arrested and have criminal charges brought against her, in addition to the civil actions for slander and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the next time you do anything in relation to contacting my office or anyone else.... Respondent swore under oath at his Notice of Appearance that he saw Ms. Frances sign the August 22, 1996 contract and the March 26, 1997 approval of disbursement. Investigators from the Attorney General's office found the Settlement Cost and Expense Agreement authorizing the hiring of an investigator, the undated Disbursement Sheet, the approval of the disbursement, and Ms. Frances's letter of complaint to the Fee Dispute Board in the trunk of Respondent's car. Among these documents was a letter dated July 21, 1997 with a simulation of Ms. Frances's signature on the reverse side. Respondent admitted making that signature at his Appearance. Further examination revealed that there had been a tracing done over Geneva in Ms. Frances's signature on a copy of the original fee agreement of August 22, 1996. The Questioned Documents section of the State Law Enforcement Division confirmed that Ms. Frances's signature, taken from a copy of the original fee agreement, was traced or forged on the March 26, 1997 document approving the settlement of Ms. Frances's case and the August 22, 1996 contract approving the hiring of an investigator. Respondent not only committed forgery, he notarized the forgeries, and lied about them under oath at his Appearance.