Opinion ID: 1920283
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: matheson

Text: In January of 1974, Mr. Fred Matheson (Matheson) consulted Pollack for the purpose of obtaining a divorce from his wife, Willie Matheson. (T., p. 108). During their preliminary negotiations, Matheson explained to Pollack that his wife had a long history of alcoholism, had been institutionalized several times, and that her last known address was Spring Grove State Hospital. The couple had been separated for approximately eight (8) years. (T., pp. 30-32). The contract entered into between Matheson and Pollack provided for a five hundred dollar ($500.00) fee to be paid in advance; one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) was paid after the initial meeting, and in March, 1974, Matheson gave Pollack a check for the balance of three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00). (T., p. 33). About two or three months after the initial contact with Pollack, Matheson experienced difficulty in contacting him at either his office or his home for a period of several months. (T., p. 7). Matheson subsequently wrote to the Bar Association of Baltimore City (Bar Association) and requested their assistance in ascertaining what action, if any had been taken on his behalf. (P. X 1). In response to his letter, Matheson received a telephone call from the Bar Association and a letter which confirmed the telephone conversation. (T., p. 8). Counsel for the Bar Association advised Matheson to telegram Pollack, which he did, but the telegram could not be delivered. (T., p. 10). Matheson subsequently had several phone conversations with an attorney for the Bar Association and received notice of a preliminary hearing to be held on the subject matter of his complaint. (T., p. 12). A hearing was set for February 12, 1975, which Matheson did not attend. (T., p. 13). Subsequent to that hearing Matheson was directed by the Bar Association to contact Mr. James E. Crawford, Esq. (Crawford) and was told that he was to handle the divorce proceeding for Mr. Pollack. (T., p. 15). Matheson spoke with Crawford who thereupon contacted Mr. Pollack. Pollack telephoned Matheson about two weeks later. (T., p. 12). Pollack indicated to Matheson that a hearing would be held on his divorce on or before April 15, 1975. (T., pp. 19-20). Matheson had not heard from Pollack by April 15, 1975, and wrote a second letter to the Bar Association. (P. X 2). Subsequent to this letter he was notified that there would be a hearing on his complaint. (T., p. 21). Mr. Pollack contacted Matheson and asked him if he knew that a hearing had been scheduled. He excused the delay through illness, domestic strife, and difficulties in serving Mrs. Matheson. (T., p. 22). A hearing scheduled by the Bar Association on October 15, 1975, was continued at Matheson's request because he was satisfied with Pollack's explanations. (T., p. 23). However the hearing was subsequently scheduled on October 28, 1975, which was postponed because Matheson's witness could not appear. A second hearing was set for February 6, 1976, from which the divorce decree issued. On March 5, 1976, the Matheson divorce became final. (T., p. 28). At his appearance before the three judge panel on September 24, 1976, Pollack described a long history of marital difficulties as mitigation. An already poor marital situation grew progressively worse from 1972 - 1974. The summer of 1974 was a period of rapid deterioration. As a result of a violent argument in July of 1974, the couple separated. In December of 1974, Mrs. Pollack took an overdose of sleeping pills and called Mr. Pollack. That evening Mr. Pollack drove to Atlantic City and brought her back to Baltimore. Both he and Mrs. Pollack's daughter convinced her to consult a psychiatrist because of her depressed state of mind. At this hearing, the following exchange took place. (T., p. 96). THE CHAIRMAN: That is your mental state and condition and relationship with your wife was to the extent that you couldn't function completely and that is the reason for all three? (three separate complaints) MR. POLLACK: I would say that was a contributing factor. If you are talking in regards to the Matheson case, we had trouble getting service. I had trouble resolving to myself that I could go on publication with a history like Willie Matheson, that is Fred Matheson's wife, having been in and out of institutions for alcoholism, I was hesitant. I had contacted, yes, I guess it did affect me because it was after one of the hearings, I think, after that I sent registered letters to, registered and regular mail, to three different addresses hoping that some place she would get a letter and it did work out that way because the supervisor from Spring Grove forwarded it to her and she contacted me and I told her she has to get an attorney to file an answer. She wrote a direct letter to the court and the matter was heard before Master Kenney, and resolved. (T., p. 97). Later, during his testimony at the hearing, Pollack was asked: (T., p. 106). MR. HOWARD: With regard to the Matheson matter, when did you send the three letters, one of which ultimately reached her through the director of Spring Grove? POLLACK: October 25, 1975. JUDGE KARWACKI: That was the first of the letters? POLLACK: That was when I sent the letters to Spring Grove. It was after that that I had knowledge she was at Spring Grove. That was after the panel hearing, if that is what you are referring to. JUDGE KARWACKI: My original question is what did you do between the summer of 1975 and the panel hearing? POLLACK: The summer of 1975 and the panel hearing, I tried to contact, I made phone calls, to her brother, I had tried to call the hospital, the hospital wouldn't give you any information and it was after that I finally sent these letters out. It is apparent that Pollack did little in furtherance of his client's interests between the summer of 1975, and the Bar Association's hearing on October 15, 1975. Moreover, the Bar Association had contacted James E. Crawford, Esq., and arranged for him to handle the matter for Pollack. Mr. Pollack failed to act before the hearing was held before the Grievance Committee. As a result, Mr. Matheson's divorce was delayed for a period of two years.