Opinion ID: 2019475
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: rhode matter

Text: In the spring of 1959 the respondent was retained by Mrs. Joan Rhode to represent her in connection with a claim growing out of the death of her husband, which resulted from an accident while he was riding as a passenger in an automobile owned and driven by one Jerome DeLong. DeLong had limited insurance coverage, and a settlement in the sum of $11,000 was effected, as a result of which $10,000 was to be paid by the insurance company and $1,000 was to be paid by the defendant personally. By order of the district court approving the settlement, $5,539 was to be paid to the widow and each of the four children was to receive $750, which amounts were to be invested for the minors in United States Savings Bonds. It is unnecessary to go into the complicated and devious actions of the respondent following the settlement of this claim. It is sufficient to say that they involved forgery of the signature of his client, misrepresentations with reference to his client's rights, and appropriation of his client's funds to his own use. There remained unpaid to Mrs. Rhode at the time of the hearing the sum of $4,134.11.