CAPE GIRARDEAU — Siblings are suing a lawyer, citing alleged breach of duty and legal malpractice.
Matthew Theisen and Michael Theisen of Fulton filed a complaint on May 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Southeastern Division against W. Rance Butler alleging that the defendant failed his duty to use the knowledge, skill and care ordinarily used by a reasonably careful attorney in the course of the representation.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on June 18, 2011, their father hired the defendant to represent them in a pending case. The plaintiffs claim they failed to get a proper trial on their pending criminal charges, were subjected to physical abuse inside the prison and were transferred to the Missouri Department of Mental Health without their consent.
The plaintiffs hold Butler responsible because the defendant allegedly sought a commitment order for the plaintiffs without discussing it with them and their family, failed to investigate their alleged rapes and beatings while in custody of the Stoddard County Jail and failed to seek any medical treatment for the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment in an amount in excess of $75,000, and for such other and further relief as the court deems just and equitable. They are represented by Eric J. Miller of Eric J. Miller Law Group Ltd. in Rockford.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Southeastern Division case number 1:17-cv-00084-ACL