Opinion ID: 1167668
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Nevins Matter

Text: In October 1983, Charles Nevins retained petitioner to represent him in an unlawful detainer action against one of Nevins's tenants. Over the next year, petitioner represented to Nevins that he had provided the tenant with a three-day notice to pay rent or quit, had commenced an action, had been to court, had obtained a judgment and had contacted the marshal with regard to having the tenant removed. Except for the three-day notice, however, petitioner had, in fact, done none of these things. After several months, Nevins retained another attorney to handle the matter. Thereafter, Nevins brought an action against petitioner for the rent he lost as a result of petitioner's failure to act. Petitioner settled the matter for $4,000, to be paid at a rate of $400 per month commencing in January 1986. At the time of the hearing in this matter in November 1987, petitioner had failed to honor the terms of the settlement and still owed a balance of $3,500. The State Bar Court found that, by his conduct, petitioner had wilfully violated rule 6-101(A)(2) and former rule 6-101(2), as well as sections 6068 and 6103.