Opinion ID: 2330653
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Count IIIBrown/Fabela [21]

Text: ¶ 12 Fabela hired the respondent in an automobile negligence case. Townsend filed a lawsuit on behalf of the client in June of 2007. In September of the same year, the cause was dismissed without prejudice for failure to diligently prosecute, specifically, the defendant was not served. Fabela made numerous attempts to reach Townsend over a period of three years. When he did finally reach him, Townsend didn't inform the client of the dismissal. Finally, Fabela hired new counsel to prosecute the matter. On June 14, 2008, Fabela's grandmother, Betty Brown, filed the complaint on his behalf. Townsend explained that the lawsuit was essentially filed to preserve the statute of limitations and to facilitate settlement. He agreed that he did not move forward in the cause as he should have and did not pursue settlement negotiations.