Opinion ID: 167382
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Divorce

Text: 2 Mr. Teague hired attorney James Locatelli to represent him in divorce proceedings in the summer of 2000. At that time Mr. Teague lived in Texas and Mr. Locatelli lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where Mr. Teague's estranged wife had relocated. Mr. Teague paid Mr. Locatelli a $1,000 retainer. The two men did not meet in person but communicated by phone, letter, fax, and e-mail. 3 From the beginning of the divorce proceeding, Mr. Locatelli thought that Mr. Teague might be a troublesome client. R. Vol. IX at 51. They had a negative relationship. Id. at 52. Mr. Teague wanted contradictory things from him, such as requesting that he receive either full custody and control of his daughter or no parental rights at all (so that he would not have to pay child support). Id. at 53. At one point Mr. Locatelli confronted Mr. Teague about alleged lies relating to accusations of domestic abuse. 4 Mr. Teague became verbally abusive to Mr. Locatelli and his staff, and he refused to pay further fees after the $1,000 retainer had been exhausted. Early in 2001 Mr. Locatelli requested permission from the court to withdraw as Mr. Teague's attorney, but the court denied the request. After Mr. Teague learned that Mr. Locatelli had asked to withdraw, he decided to deal with opposing counsel on his own and Mr. Locatelli ceased working on the case. 5 When the divorce proceeding concluded in May 2001, Mr. Locatelli sent a copy of the final order to Mr. Teague along with a bill for the money still owed. Mr. Locatelli had no further communication with Mr. Teague until almost two years later.