Opinion ID: 1175723
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Giaque Matter

Text: On September 17, 1971, Don Giaque retained petitioner to file an action against his former wife, Pansy, for fraud, conversion and embezzlement and paid petitioner a fee of $750 for his services. Between September 1971 and January 1972 petitioner took no action on the Giaque case although he repeatedly promised his client that he would file a complaint in three or four days. On January 16, 1972, Giaque complained in writing to the State Bar about petitioner's failure to file suit. The State Bar sent petitioner two letters concerning the Giaque matter to which he replied ... I shall file the suit and continue my attempts to locate the defendant after filing. Giaque, however, heard nothing further from petitioner. Petitioner ignored Giaque's repeated demands for return of the $750 retainer until he became aware that the State Bar was investigating the matter. He then refunded the entire sum. Petitioner told the committee that he was forced to delay filing suit because Giaque did not provide him with a list of the specific items of property which had been taken or his former wife's address. Petitioner, however, never asked Giaque for the address. Moreover, petitioner now concedes that there was no justification for his professional conduct but that the only explanation ... is that Mr. Giaque became most obnoxious to petitioner personally.