Opinion ID: 2507323
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Count 1Complaint of Claude E. Weatherly, Jr.

Text: Claude E. Weatherly, Jr., paid the sum of $4,000.00 to Mr. Morgan on September 27, 2007, for Mr. Morgan's representation of his son, Keith Dale Weatherly (Keith), who had been indicted in Monroe County Circuit Court on September 11, 2007. Previously, Justin St. Clair, Esquire, had been appointed as counsel for Keith and was reappointed around September 30, 2007. Despite Mr. Morgan's retention in the case, Mr. St. Clair filed several motions on behalf of Keith. The circuit court approved Mr. Morgan's substitution as counsel on December 17, 2007. On February 26, 2008, the circuit court judge scheduled a status conference for March 3, 2008. The order noted that [Mr. Morgan] failed to appear for a previously scheduled status conference and that the Court made several attempts to contact [Mr. Morgan] at his office to schedule a date for the conference, but has not received any feedback regarding possible dates that would be suitable. Thereafter, on March 17, 2008, Mr. Morgan failed to appear for another status conference, which was then rescheduled for April 7, 2008. On April 11, 2008, Mr. Morgan and the client's father met to discuss a refund of the $4,000.00 payment due to Mr. Morgan's failure to attend several court appearances and failure to communicate. Mr. Morgan provided his client's father with a check refunding the full amount, but later stopped payment on the check. [1] The client's father eventually filed a civil action to obtain a default judgment against Mr. Morgan for the refund. He also filed a complaint with the ODC. Mr. Morgan failed to respond to the complaint as requested by the ODC on several occasions. In October 2009, the ODC requested and obtained a subpoena compelling Mr. Morgan to appear for a sworn statement, which eventually took place on December 2, 2009. During the sworn statement, the ODC requested a bill, accounting, and/or invoice for the work performed. The request was followed by a letter reiterating the request; however, Mr. Morgan failed to respond. A second letter was sent on January 11, 2010, to which Mr. Morgan again failed to respond. A third letter requesting this information was returned as unclaimed on February 16, 2010.