Opinion ID: 1670703
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Avery E. Kolb, III

Text: On September 2, 1986, Avery E. Kolb, III paid Lindsay $175 to handle his bankruptcy. Seven months later, Kolb complained that Lindsay had failed to perform any services for him, that his paycheck had been garnished, and that Lindsay refused to return his papers. Kolb offered into evidence a recorded message in which Lindsay blamed a paralegal for the problem; in the tape, Lindsay said that he had fired the paralegal and would reimburse Kolb for any wages that were garnished. Kolb attempted to communicate with Lindsay every day after receiving this message, to no avail. Kolb testified that Lindsay never informed him that his bankruptcy worksheet was incomplete or that Lindsay needed additional information. In addition to the worksheet, Kolb gave Lindsay a paper bag containing bills, IRS returns, and other financial records, which Lindsay was supposed to review with Kolb. Kolb said that he had lost $1,023.13 because of Lindsay, $175 in legal fees and the rest in garnished wages. Kolb requested but did not receive a refund from Lindsay. Kolb retained another attorney, Robert Gunther, who testified that he was unable to speak to Lindsay or to obtain Kolb's papers from Lindsay. Lindsay testified that he left several messages on Kolb's answering machine, informing his client that he needed additional information. He claimed the dispute resulted from Kolb's desire to exclude a settlement for back wages from the bankruptcy. Lindsay refused on ethical grounds and said he told Kolb to pick up his money and documents, but Kolb never came to get them. This rationale does not, of course, explain attorney Gunther's testimony.