Opinion ID: 2500868
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Suber Matter

Text: On September 29, 2000, Respondent filed a lawsuit in Richland County on behalf of a client, Ida Mae Suber, who was injured in an automobile accident. By order dated July 31, 2001, the circuit court dismissed the case based on Respondent's failure to prosecute. After dismissing the insurance carrier with prejudice, the court further stated that [i]n the event the Plaintiff shall attempt to commence another action against the [remaining defendants], such shall not be commenced before and until attorneys' fees and costs in the amount of Five Hundred and no/100 ($500.00) Dollars have been paid to each of the attorneys for the Defendants, Robert A. McKenzie and Robert W. Buffington. Thereafter, Respondent filed a motion for reconsideration pursuant to Rule 59(e) of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure. A year later, while this motion was pending, Respondent filed an identical suit on behalf of Suber on August 1, 2002 without paying the court-ordered fees. The circuit court dismissed this lawsuit due, in part, to Respondent's failure to comply with the prior order. Respondent acknowledged that he did not pay the court-ordered fees before filing the second lawsuit, but explained he took that course of action in order to compel a ruling on his motion for reconsideration because his repeated requests for a ruling were not effective. At the time of the hearing to dismiss the second lawsuit, the Rule 59(e) motion had not been ruled upon.