Opinion ID: 2092308
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Charles County, Maryland Action

Text: 1. On 22 July 1995, Respondent filed a complaint and jury demand on Weaver's behalf in the Circuit Court for Charles County, Maryland. Respondent alleged that service of process for the Texas civil action on Weaver, through his wife, was improper because the Sheriff's affidavit was based on false and misleading information. He also alleged that contractual obligations owed by NATG to the Weavers were never fully discharged, and that NATG owed the Weavers monies, stock options, and stock valued in excess of $2,000,000. Finally, the compliant alleged NATG made defamatory statements against Val Weaver in a New York Stock Exchange press release, published in Maryland, that stated that Weaver had breached the duties he owed NATG. 2. On 24 October 1995, Maryland counsel for NATG filed a Motion to Dismiss in the Charles County action. 3. In a letter to Respondent from Weaver dated 27 October 1995, Weaver, indicating that a dismissal of the Charles County action was a prerequisite to the success of any mediation proceedings taking place in the Texas action, requested that Respondent dismiss the action without prejudice. Respondent did not reply to or act upon Weaver's request. 4. In a letter dated 7 November 1995, Weaver told Respondent that [t]he state of affairs and apparent conflict now between us forces me to dismiss your legal representation from all activities and matters regarding me [specifically, the federal District Court action [and the Charles County action] and any issues involving Impero and NATG]. At the time he wrote this letter, Weaver did not know that Respondent had not filed the Motion to Dismiss in the Charles County action. 5. On 24 November 1995, Respondent filed a Motion to Withdraw Appearance in the Charles County action. The Charles County Circuit Court initially granted this motion on 13 December 1995. The motion granting the withdrawal was later stricken on 5 January 1996, when the Circuit Court learned that Weaver did not consent to Respondent's withdrawal because Weaver did not know that Respondent had not filed the Motion to Dismiss. 6. On 16 April 1996, NATG filed a second Motion to Dismiss in the Charles County action. Respondent did not answer this motion either. 7. On 28 May 1996, the Circuit Court wrote a letter to Respondent informing him that it had not received an answer to NATG's motions and that, [g]iven the previous history concerning your representation of Mr. Weaver, [the Court is] forwarding a copy of the Memorandum and Motion to Dismiss directly to him, along with his copy of this letter .... to give [Weaver] every opportunity to respond to the Motion to Dismiss. 8. On 11 June 1996, Weaver informed the Circuit Court that he had not spoken with Respondent since October 1995 and that Respondent refused to communicate with Weaver since that date. Weaver then filed, pro se, a Motion for Voluntary Dismissal. This motion was granted on 18 June 1996.