NOTICE OF SUSPENSION AND RESTITUTION Case Nos. 98-164-GA; 98-187-FA James Stevenson Childress, P-50204, Detroit, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #24.
1) Suspension - 179 Days; 2) Effective December 8, 1998.1 The complainants retained and paid respondent $500 to draft two Wills and handle two consolidated child support disputes. He thereafter referred the child support disputes to another attorney for further handling. The panel found, by default, that respondent neglected the matter; falsely represented to the complainants that he had entered into an agreement with the other attorney to split the fee paid by the complainants to respondent regarding the child support disputes; failed to return the unearned fee; failed to answer the Request for Investigation; and failed to answer Formal Complaints.
The panel concluded that respondent's conduct violated MCR 9.103(C); MCR 9.104(1)-(4) and (7); MCR 9.113(A) and (B)(2); and Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1(a) and (c); 1.3; 1.4; 1.5(a); 1.15(b); 1.16(d); 3.2; 8.1(b); and 8.4(a)-(c).
The parties stipulated that respondent be suspended from the practice of law for 179 days and make restitution to the complainants in the amount of $500. Costs were assessed in the amount of $162.80. ________________________
1 Respondent has been continuously suspended from the practice of law in Michigan since December 6, 1996.