Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
LORAIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION v. WESTGATE.
Per Curiam. We adopt the findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the board. Our Disciplinary Rules, DR 7-101(A)(1), (2) and (3), require that a lawyer not intentionally fail to seek the lawful objectives of a client, fail to carry out a contract of employment, or prejudice or damage a client. In this case, respondent, without consulting his client, suspended her alimony payments and, therefore, she has received no alimony for over three years while the motion regarding the amount she should receive has been pending. Since respondent had no clear authority to so compromise his client's case, he violated the Disciplinary Rules as alleged.
Respondent is hereby suspended from the practice of law for six months, but we stay the entire suspension and place respondent on probation for one year and order that during the term of his probation respondent complete a continuing legal education course on law office management. Costs taxed to respondent.
Judgment accordingly.
Alice Robie Resnick, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part. I concur in the majority holding, but would require respondent to make restitution to Ruth Price for any amount of alimoney due and owing that Price failed to receive from November 15, 1993 until the ruling of the trial court on the motion to terminate alimony.
PER CURIAM.
MOYER, C.J., and PFEIFER, COOK and LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. DOUGLAS, RESNICK and FRANCIS E. SWEENEY, Sr., JJ., concur in part and dissent in part.
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Docket No: No. 97-869.
Decided: October 08, 1997
Court: Supreme Court of Ohio.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)