A Glidden lawyer has had his license to practice suspended by an order of the Supreme Court of Iowa. The court order says that Patrick William Hall had failed to respond to an inquiry by the court’s disciplinary board regarding a complaint made by a client. In a letter written by the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board in Sept. of 2015, details of the client’s issues were outlined. It says that Hall was negligent in the handling of an estate probation for Ruth Schreck, who died on Feb. 27, 2013. In a hearing on March 2, 2015, it came to light that Hall had obtained an order to collect a fee over $30,000, to which the co-executors and other beneficiaries filed a complaint. The estate was deemed a simple one to execute as a last will and testament provided details on the division of the estate, however the necessary filings were filed well after deadlines and Hall was not communicating with the beneficiaries. Hall claimed that an automobile accident in 2013 impacted his work, but the board found that there was a failure by Hall to administer the estate in a timely fashion as well as a failure to promptly comply with reasonable requests and that the accident did not excuse these delays. In order for Hall’s license to be reinstated, the board must withdraw their certificate, the court must enter an order to reinstate and Hall will have to pay the reinstatement fees.
