Opinion ID: 1670703
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Joann Theard Cross

Text: Joann Theard Cross paid Earl Lindsay $450 to obtain a legal separation and divorce. He began representing her in September of 1985, but never concluded the matter. She fired him and wrote a letter to the LSBA about his profanity and his refusal to return her papers until she paid him more money. Cross later withdrew this complaint and gave Lindsay another chance to handle her affairs. Seven months later, the LSBA received a second letter from Cross, charging that she had not received alimony timely because Lindsay had not submitted a court order for signature. Also, Cross tried unsuccessfully to obtain copies of court orders and confirmation of medical coverage so that she could be admitted to the hospital for surgery. Lindsay did not return her calls, make copies of the orders, or keep appointments with her. At the last moment, Lindsay made a telephone call to the hospital to certify that Cross was covered by her estranged husband's insurance policy. Lindsay's dilatory practices caused delay in her receipt of alimony, stress, and financial hardship. At the Commissioner's hearing, Lindsay said he had filed a petition for separation and divorce and had obtained injunctions, alimony pendente lite of $200 a month, insurance coverage, and use of the family domicile. He estimated that he had gone to court for Cross on five different occasions and had talked to her for hours about her personal problems. Because Cross was reluctant to discuss certain matters in open court, they decided to ask for a divorce on the basis of living separate and apart for one year. Lindsay did not supply a written response to the Commissioner because he expected Cross to withdraw her second complaint. He described her as an unhappy woman who took her frustrations out on him.