Opinion
No. 03PDJ053.
October 9, 2003.
Attorney Regulation.
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge accepted the parties' Conditional Admission of Misconduct and suspended Respondent Robert A. Marquardt, attorney registration number 17902 from the practice of law for a period of one year and one day with all but sixty days stayed followed by a one year period of probation subject to conditions. Respondent failed to communicate to the client the basis or rate of his fee after commencing representation in violation of Colo. RPC 1.5(b). As a result, a fee dispute arose resulting in litigation between respondent and the prior client. In the course of the litigation, on several occasions, respondent communicated directly with the prior client while the prior client was represented by counsel in violation of Colo. RPC 4.2. In one of the communications to the prior client, respondent threatened to present criminal and/or administrative charges against the prior client and his domestic partner in violation of Colo. RPC 4.5(a). In respondent's verified complaint filed against the prior client, respondent alleged that venue was proper in the City and County of Denver attesting that the prior client resided in Denver. Respondent knew at the time he made the statement that the prior client resided in Panama. Respondent's knowingly submitting false statements in a verified complaint to a tribunal constituted a violation of Colo. RPC 3.3(a)(1) and (4). Respondent was ordered to pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings.