Opinion ID: 1167668
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Yonce Matter

Text: In June 1984, John and Esta Yonce retained petitioner to represent them in a civil action that had already been prepared by another attorney and was ready for trial. The Yonces paid petitioner $1,500 as an advance on attorney fees. The day before trial, the matter settled. The settlement provided for the defendant to pay the Yonces $3,500 within two days and another $3,500 within ninety days. A dismissal with prejudice was to be sent to the defendant's attorney upon receipt of the first payment and, by implication, the second payment would be sent upon receipt of the dismissal. The Yonces received the first payment in June. By December, however, they had still not received the second payment. Numerous telephone calls to petitioner's office to inquire about the matter went unreturned. A letter sent by certified mail in December also failed to elicit a response, as did a follow-up letter in February 1985. The Yonces, as a result, retained another attorney, Steven Gross, to assist in collecting the balance of the settlement. Gross made numerous telephone calls to petitioner's office and sent a substitution-of-attorney form requesting that it be signed by petitioner. Petitioner did not respond to any of the calls or the request for substitution of attorney. Gross thereupon filed a motion with the court to substitute himself for petitioner as the Yonces' attorney of record. The motion was granted. Gross then filed a dismissal of the Yonces' action and secured the remainder of the settlement. The State Bar Court found that petitioner had abandoned his clients and wilfully failed to provide the services for which he had been retained. By his conduct, the State Bar Court concluded that petitioner violated rule 6-101(A)(2) and sections 6068 and 6103.