Opinion ID: 1689462
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Count V: Brown

Text: In April 1995, Larry Brown hired Sullins asking him to: (1) file a contempt action against his ex-wife; (2) file an action to modify child custody provisions of a Texas marriage dissolution decree entered six months earlier; and (3) file a slander action against his ex-wife and her mother. Sullins contends the fee agreement provided $5000 for services already rendered. On April 7, 1995, Brown signed the fee agreement and gave Sullins two money orders for $5000 each. Sullins did not deposit any of this money into a trust account. The court dismissed the contempt action on jurisdictional grounds and Sullins never refiled it. Sullins did not initiate slander proceedings against the ex-wife and her mother. He did file a petition in Iowa to modify the Texas dissolution. Because Sullins did not respond to the ex-wife's discovery requests, the court entered a $250 sanction judgment against Sullins personally. At the time of the hearing, Sullins had not yet paid this money. The Commission found Sullins neglected his client's matter by failing to respond to the discovery requests. However, the Commission concluded Sullins did not violate any disciplinary rules regarding the fee arrangement. The fee arrangement issue was disputed, and it appeared to the Commission Sullins may have earned the first $5000 check Brown gave him at the time Sullins received the money. As to the other $5000 check, the Commission found Sullins did not perform significant work. Sullins failed to file a statement with the board in response to Brown's complaint. The Commission found Sullins violated DR 6-101(A)(3) (neglect) and 1-102(A)(1) (violate a disciplinary rule), (4) (conduct involving dishonesty), (5) (conduct prejudicial to justice), and (6) (conduct reflects adversely on fitness to practice law).