Opinion ID: 1129546
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Gibson Matter

Text: While representing Ronald Gibson in a personal injury suit stemming from an automobile accident, petitioner both misappropriated funds and refused to consent to a substitution of attorney. As he had done while representing the Chubbses, petitioner filed claims with Gibson's insurance company pursuant to a medical payment provision of his policy without informing Gibson. Petitioner received checks made out to him and Gibson for $2,155, signed Gibson's name without his authorization, and deposited them in a client trust account, but never forwarded the money to Gibson's doctors. Moreover, when one of the doctors demanded payment, petitioner wrote him a bad check. Gibson was eventually forced to pay the doctors out of his settlement proceeds. Gibson, like Williams, grew dissatisfied with petitioner's representation of him and retained a new attorney. Petitioner, however, refused to sign the Substitution of Attorney form or turn over Gibson's file to his new attorney until a court ordered him to do so.