Opinion ID: 1405134
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Civil Action Involving the Executrix, Mrs. Karen Richardson

Text: On July 27, 2006, subsequent to the filing of the verified ethics complaint, the executrix of the estate filed a civil action against Mr. Barton. [2] A settlement was reached between the parties in May 2007, whereby Mr. Barton was to pay the sum of $100,000 to the executrix of the estate on or before February 28, 2008. Mr. Barton also agreed to repay the additional sum of $3,000 as a refund for the excessive charges he billed to the estate for producing the accounting of his services. This settlement agreement was breached, and a new settlement agreement was entered into on August 1, 2007. Mr. Barton agreed that the $20,000 paid under the initial agreement was forfeited and he further agreed to pay the full $103,000 as well as the pending Medicare lien of $18,500 before October 1, 2010. At the time of the underlying hearing in this matter, it was represented that Mr. Barton had paid $46,000 in restitution under the settlement agreement from the action filed on behalf of the estate against him. However, it was also illustrated that Mr. Barton was in breach of the settlement agreement and had made no payments since August 2008, despite the executrix's willingness to accept lower monthly payments than the original monthly amount that had been agreed to by the parties. [3]