Lawyer Faces Bar Charges For Alleged Failure To File F'closure Objections In One Client's Case, Communication Problems In Landlord Dispute In Another

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, The Citizens Voice reports:

• Wilkes-Barre attorney Jim Hayward [...] is facing disciplinary action over allegations he violated professional-conduct rules. The allegations include failing to keep clients informed, not filing court documents for clients, not using a written fee agreement and not paying court fees on time. According to a May 4 report, a hearing committee for the state Supreme Court recommended Hayward receive a public censure with probation. Another committee has scheduled a July 19 hearing on another petition alleging three more misconduct charges.

Among the misconduct charges to be considered in the next hearing:

• Timothy and Tanya Pintsch hired Hayward in 2009 to handle a foreclosure claim against their Hanover Township home. They claim a default judgment was entered because Hayward failed to file objections to the court action. A sheriff's sale of their home was postponed after they hired another lawyer, the petition says.

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• According to another charge in the petition, Frank and Carole Myers hired Hayward in 2008 for a landlord dispute involving a mobile home camp in Carbon County. They claimed they had problems communicating with Hayward and had to slip papers under his locked office door.

Source: W-B attorney faces censure.