Opinion ID: 1584675
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Grosse Estate

Text: In early 2001, Glenda Shelton hired Rickabaugh to assist her in probating the estate of her mother, Maxine Grosse. Grosse's will appointed Shelton to serve as executor. On July 30, 2001, Rickabaugh sent Shelton a report and inventory which listed all of the assets in the Grosse estate. He requested she sign the report and inventory and return it to him so he could file it with the probate court. Shortly thereafter, Shelton wrote to Rickabaugh explaining she would not sign the report and inventory because the numbers are not correct. Specifically, she was concerned Rickabaugh had not included the interest which had accrued on Grosse's United States savings bonds. She provided the correct figures and asked Rickabaugh to [p]lease make the corrections for me as soon as possible and send them to me to sign. Rickabaugh never made the requested changes. Shelton sent letters to Rickabaugh on March 10, 2002 and January 20, 2003, urging him to send her the corrected report and inventory so the estate could be closed. Exasperated, Shelton finally contacted another attorney to help her close the estate. Unbeknownst to Shelton, Rickabaugh had forged her signature on the report and inventory and filed it with the court on January 31, 2002. Additionally, while Rickabaugh was representing Shelton and the estate, the clerk of court issued two probate delinquency notices for failure to file an interlocutory report.