Lawyer Ordered To Pay $1.6 Million For Affair

A jury ordered a San Antonio lawyer to pay $1.6 million to a former client for having an affair with the man’s wife.

Attorney Stephen W. Boyd engaged in deceptive practices, unconscionable actions and fraud in his dealings with John Kahlig, the jury decided unanimously Thursday.

Jurors even awarded Kahlig $500,000 more than he was seeking.

Kahlig, a former car dealer who lives in Nevada, sued Boyd in 1995 after learning his lawyer had an affair in 1992 with Kahlig’s second wife. Kahlig was paying him for legal services in a child-custody case from his first marriage.

Kahlig said he learned of the affair only after he got a divorce. He lost the child custody case and had to pay his ex-wife’s legal fees of $27,000.

The jury ordered Boyd to reimburse Kahlig for those costs and for $19,000 in legal fees.