Opinion
November 20, 2006.
ORDER
By order dated August 11, 2006, respondent was placed on interim suspension pursuant to Rule 17(b), RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR. In the Matter of Hursey, 370 S.C. 41, 634 S.E.2d 642 (2006). In its order, the Court specified that, should it determine it is in the best interests of respondent's clients or others to appoint an attorney to protect, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) may file a petition seeking the appointment of an attorney to protect respondent's clients' interests pursuant to Rule 31, RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR. ODC has now filed a Petition to Appoint an Attorney to Protect Respondent's Clients' Interests.
The Petition to Appoint an Attorney to Protect Respondent's Clients' Interests pursuant to Rule 31, RLDE, is granted. Eldon D. Risher, III, Esquire, is hereby appointed to assume responsibility for respondent's client files, trust account(s), escrow account(s), operating account(s), and any other law office account(s) respondent may maintain. Mr. Risher shall take action as required by Rule 31, RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR, to protect the interests of respondent's clients. Mr. Risher may make disbursements from respondent's trust account(s), escrow account(s), operating account(s), and any other law office account(s) respondent may maintain that are necessary to effectuate this appointment.
This Order, when served on any bank or other financial institution maintaining trust, escrow and/or operating accounts of respondent, shall serve as an injunction to prevent respondent from making withdrawals from the account(s) and shall further serve as notice to the bank or other financial institution that Eldon D. Risher, III, Esquire, has been duly appointed by this Court.
Finally, this Order, when served on any office of the United States Postal Service, shall serve as notice that Eldon D. Risher, III, Esquire, has been duly appointed by this Court and has the authority to receive respondent's mail and the authority to direct that respondent's mail be delivered to Mr. Risher's office.
This appointment shall be for a period of no longer than nine months unless request is made to this Court for an extension.
IT IS SO ORDERED.