Opinion ID: 1762353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the commissioner's proceedings

Text: Marilyn Hurst's testimony was taken by deposition on June 28, 2005. Craft, Adams' former attorney, Daniel Dotson, and Coburn's widow, Levita Coburn, testified live at the hearing on June 29, 2005. On January 25, 2006, the Trial Commissioner entered his amended report, wherein he made the following findings: VI. Levita Coburn, the Widow of Elsworth Coburn, testified that her husband acted as a go-between for the Hursts and Mr. Craft as Counsel in the Letcher suit. This was supported by a copy of a 1990 letter entered as Respondent's exhibit No. 2 which instructed Mr. Coburn to tell the Hursts about the dismissal of the suit. Marilyn Jo Hurst, Anne Hurst's Power of Attorney, testified from 1999 on there was no information on the lawsuit given to her mother by Mr. Coburn. There was no evidence of direct contact between Mr. Craft and the Hursts. VII. The Coburns felt that Mr. Craft no longer represented them as of May 1991, but Marilyn Jo Hurst denied knowledge of such change in representation. Nothing of a formal nature was filed in the Letcher Circuit Court regarding a change in representation. The respondent has mentioned that the Letcher Circuit Court recited that Adam Collins was substituted for Will Collins as former counsel in the action by its June 27, 2005 Order. Despite such, the docket of the action makes no notation that Will Collins was ever formally recognized as Counsel of record for the Defendants. [11] VIII. The funds placed in escrow were properly accounted for and there is no allegation of misappropriation of the funds. IX. The Respondent's license to practice law was suspended as of January 9, 1998, and in June of 1998 he resigned from the practice of law under terms of disbarment. X. In 2001 Marilyn Hurst initiated contact with the Respondent to resolve the escrow issue. She was told to retain other counsel and finally did retain other counsel in May of 2005. XI. From the dismissal of the Letcher suit in 1990 until 2005 there were no formal efforts by Mr. Craft to obtain a disposition for the escrowed royalties.