In re Yarborough

• Decision Date: 07 June 1999
• Docket Number: No. 24951.,24951.
• Citation: 524 S.E.2d 100,337 S.C. 245
• Court: South Carolina Supreme Court
• Parties: In the Matter of Ernest E. YARBOROUGH, Respondent.

337 S.C. 245

524 S.E.2d 100

In the Matter of Ernest E. YARBOROUGH, Respondent.

No. 24951.

Supreme Court of South Carolina.

Heard February 3, 1999.

Decided June 7, 1999.

Attorney General Charles M. Condon and Senior Assistant Attorney General James G. Bogle, Jr., both of Columbia, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

Ernest E. Yarborough, of Winnsboro, pro se.

PER CURIAM:

In this attorney disciplinary proceeding, respondent, Ernest E. Yarborough, is charged with committing misconduct arising out of his alleged improper conduct toward a client. We find respondent committed misconduct and impose a public reprimand.¹

FACTS

Client testified on or about June 24, 1996, respondent was retained to represent her as Personal Representative of her brother's estate in a legal malpractice action against Attorney I, who had been retained to handle a wrongful death action on her behalf. At that time, client was an unmarried, 24 year old college student. Respondent provided client with his business card which also listed his home and car telephone numbers.

On Saturday, June 29, 1996, a day after the retainer was paid, respondent traveled to Spartanburg and met client and her mother at their house. Respondent, client, and her mother then all rode in client's mother's car to interview witnesses in the wrongful death case. Because they were unable to locate one witness, respondent decided to stay overnight. While still riding in the car, respondent inquired about a local church and when he discovered it was the church client attended he commented he would attend church with her the following day. Client's mother did not attend this particular church.

Client testified respondent asked client to go with him to the mall so he could purchase a suit. While the suit was being altered, respondent asked client to watch a movie with him. After the movie, respondent inquired about the location of a hotel. Client showed him to a Day's Inn. Respondent asked client to come to his room and talk. They conversed about the case for approximately 30 minutes. Upon leaving, respondent asked client to give him a hug. Client complied with the request. She testified it was an innocent hug and nothing inappropriate happened. The next day, respondent attended church with client.

Client testified the next weekend, July 6, 1996, respondent called and advised her he was returning to Spartanburg to interview another witness. Respondent told client he was staying at a certain hotel and asked client to bring him some razors. Client testified when she arrived at the hotel with the razors that afternoon, respondent began kissing and hugging her. When she told respondent to stop, he complied, but he made some derogatory comments to client, including inquiring if she was a lesbian or if she had been molested as a child. Respondent paid client the money for the razors and she left the hotel. Because she was upset, client testified she went to the home of her aunt and related the incident to her. Client denied making any romantic advances toward respondent.

Client testified she did not immediately fire respondent because she had no money to hire other counsel and she had a summary judgment motion pending. However, she did advise respondent she was going to file a grievance against him. Client testified respondent continued telephoning her. According to client during these telephone calls, respondent asked her to meet him in various towns, requested client act passionately toward him, asked her to have his baby, and asked her to marry him. During the calls, respondent also made explicit comments regarding the effect client had on him physically. The telephone records of respondent's home telephone number reflected many calls were made to client in the evening, outside of normal business hours. Further, client's telephone records reflected a number of telephone calls from her to respondent at night. However, client testified many of these calls concerned the case and a possible settlement. Further, according to client, some of these calls may have been made by her mother, with whom she lived. Client testified respondent did not send her any cards, letters, or gifts. However, respondent had promised to buy her a dress, but he never did.

Client admitted on August 26, 1996, she hired respondent to represent her on another legal malpractice action against Attorney II, who had also been retained to handle the wrongful death action.² Client's mother testified she had driven respondent, her daughter and herself around Spartanburg interviewing witnesses on the first weekend. Further, she testified when her daughter returned from respondent's hotel after the second visit she was acting "sadly." The mother testified client told her of respondent's unwelcome sexual advances a day or so after it occurred. The mother admitted she did not express outrage to respondent because she was afraid he would no longer represent them.

The mother testified because she was suspicious of respondent's request that client travel to Union to meet him, she accompanied her daughter. According to the mother, respondent reacted in a shocked fashion when he saw her with client.

The mother testified respondent asked her if she thought he would make a good husband for her daughter. The mother verified both she and her daughter called and talked to respondent on many occasions.

Client's aunt testified client arrived at her house unexpectedly on the day of the incident, upset and crying. Client related she had gone to respondent's hotel room and he hugged her and tried to kiss her. The aunt testified she talked with client for an hour or two and advised her not to meet with respondent alone in the future. The aunt testified she thought her niece was flattered by the attention shown previously by respondent but client had never expressed any attraction to respondent. The aunt admitted client had mentioned a professor at college. But, according to the aunt, the relationship was not romantic.

Respondent's testimony confirmed when he was retained by client in June 1996, a motion for summary judgment was pending for July 9, 1996, and a great deal of preparation was necessary. Respondent admitted he gives clients his home telephone number and tells them to call him anytime. Respondent admitted he often talked with client on the telephone. Further, many of these telephone calls were made in the evenings. Respondent testified most telephone calls would last approximately 3-5 minutes unless the mother also spoke on the telephone. Then the calls would exceed 30 minutes. Respondent testified 95% of the calls would be business related. Respondent testified he gave client's calls top priority because client and her mother were very demanding and he wanted to keep them satisfied.

Respondent testified when he traveled to Spartanburg the first weekend he did not intend to spend the night. However, he decided to stay over in order to talk with a witness. Respondent denied he invited himself to church. Instead, he claimed he was invited by client and client's mother. Further, respondent claimed they invited him to spend the night at their house. However, he declined this invitation. Respondent admitted he went to the mall to buy a suit, and while it was being altered, he suggested he and client see a movie. Respondent testified each paid for their own admission. Respondent testified it was close to midnight when client showed him to the hotel. Further, according to respondent, client asked to go up to his room so she could talk about the case, and respondent consented. Respondent claimed they talked about the case until approximately 2:00 a.m. Client became upset during the discussions regarding her brother and started crying. As client left the room., she gave respondent a "church hug."

Respondent admitted he called client from his car on the way to Spartanburg the second weekend to advise her when he would arrive. When she arrived at the hotel, he and client went to a store so he could purchase razors. He denied asking client to purchase the razors. When they returned to the hotel, client advised respondent the witness was unavailable. Respondent testified when he told client he was going to leave, client became irate because respondent was not there to see her. Respondent testified, as client left the room, she hugged him in the same manner as before. Respondent claimed he did not touch client and that she was not the type of person to whom he was normally attracted. Respondent testified on the second visit he expected both client and her mother to come to the hotel and to ride him around as was done previously.

On cross examination, respondent testified on neither weekend did he try to find a neutral site such as a hotel conference room or meeting room in order to discuss the case with client. Further, in hindsight, he admitted this was poor judgment.

Respondent testified, in hindsight, he realized the mother "was trying to play matchmaker" because she had noticed respondent was not wearing a wedding band. Respondent testified the mother asked him if "a lawyer would make a good husband [for client]." Respondent denied asking the mother if he would make a good husband for client. At the time, respondent did not take the mother's comments seriously. However, he made it clear he did not get involved with clients. When the mother began to make comments about client's infatuation with respondent, respondent advised the mother he would terminate his representation if client did not get her feelings under control. Respondent denied he had done anything to lead her on. Respondent testified client was a very strong minded person and they had personality conflicts.

Respondent testified because time was of the essence, he utilized client as a runner for obtaining necessary signatures on affidavits. According to respondent, client and her mother traveled to Columbia to facilitate this process. Furt...