In the Supreme Court of Georgia

Decided: December 19, 2023

S24Y0019. IN THE MATTER OF STEVEN RYAN WEBSTER.

PER CURIAM.

This disciplinary matter is before the Court on a petition for 

voluntary discipline filed by Steven Ryan Webster (State Bar No. 

745245) prior to the issuance of a formal complaint. See Bar Rule 4-

227 (b). In his petition, which concerns five underlying disciplinary 

matters, Webster, who has been a member of the State Bar of 

Georgia since 1992, admits that he violated Rules 1.15 (I) (a) and (c) 

and 1.15 (II) (b) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct found 

in Bar Rule 4-102 (d) and requests that this Court accept the 

voluntary surrender of his license to practice law, which he 

acknowledges is tantamount to disbarment. See Rule 1.0 (s). The 

State Bar has responded to Webster’s petition, recommending that 

the Court accept the discipline proposed, and we agree to do so.
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With regard to State Disciplinary Board Docket (“SDBD”) No. 

7749, Webster admits he was the closing attorney for the sale of a 

property and that on May 17, 2022, the purchaser wired $6,000 in 

earnest money to be held by Webster. On June 25, 2022, the 

purchase agreement was terminated such that the purchaser was to 

receive the earnest money held by Webster. Webster mailed a check 

for $6,000 to the purchaser, but it was returned for insufficient 

funds. Webster did not respond to the purchaser’s requests for the 

funds.

Regarding SDBD No. 7750, Webster admits he was the closing 

attorney for the sale of a property. The closing took place on June 3, 

2022, and the proceeds from the sale of the home were wired to 

Webster’s firm. After putting $200,000 toward the seller’s new 

mortgage, the seller was still owed $70,677.98 from the proceeds of 

the sale. Webster wrote a check for that amount which the seller 

deposited, but the check was returned for insufficient funds. When 

the seller contacted Webster. he told her that his account was short

$380,000 and that his bank had frozen his account. Webster used 
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his personal funds to pay the seller and wired the money to her on 

July 7, 2022.

Regarding SDBD No. 7751, Webster admits he was signed as a 

title insurance agent by a title company in 2013. As part of his 

agency agreement, Webster issued title insurance for his clients and 

provided various settlement services. But Webster failed to provide 

reconciliations for the title company’s review, failed to remit 

premiums collected for the title insurance policies, and failed to 

issue policies. The title company terminated Webster’s agency in 

May 2022 and requested that Webster disburse funds owed to the 

title company. Webster failed to respond to the requests.

Regarding SDBD No. 7752, Webster admits he was the closing 

attorney for a property. Webster was supposed to disburse funds 

pursuant to a closing disclosure, including a payment to an 

insurance company for the purchaser’s homeowners’ insurance 

policy. Webster failed to disburse the funds and failed to remit the 

insurance payment, which caused the insurance to lapse in July 
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2022. Webster failed to respond to the purchaser’s emails and phone 

calls. 

Regarding SDBD No. 7753, Webster admits that, in June 2022, 

the State Bar of Georgia received a notice from Webster’s bank that 

four checks totaling $52,221.40 were returned unpaid on Webster’s 

attorney trust account number because his trust account balance 

was insufficient to pay the items. The bank froze Webster’s bank 

accounts and then sent additional documentation to the State Bar 

reflecting that multiple checks totaling over $400,000 had been 

returned unpaid on Webster’s trust account. Because Webster has 

approximately $18,000 in one of the bank accounts, the bank is filing 

an interpleader action to distribute those funds to the affected 

clients. Webster admits that he moved funds from his trust account 

to his operating account to pay business expenses.

By this conduct, Webster admits he violated Rule 1.15 (I) (a) 

and (c) when he (1) failed to safeguard fiduciary funds; (2) failed to 

maintain complete records of account funds; (3) failed to promptly 

deliver funds that third persons were entitled to; and (4) failed to 
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render a full accounting of the funds in his possession when it was 

requested. Further, Webster admits he violated Rule 1.15 (II) (b)

when he (1) withdrew funds from the trust account and deposited 

the funds into his firm’s operating account for business purposes, 

which constitutes personal use under Rule 1.15 (II) (b); and (2) failed 

to maintain records reflecting at all times the exact balance held for 

each client or third person. Webster acknowledges that the 

maximum punishment for a violation of any of these Rules is 

disbarment and that voluntary surrender of his license to practice 

law is tantamount to disbarment. See Rule 1.0 (s). See also In the 

Matter of Williams, 291 Ga. 659 (732 SE2d 85) (2012); In the Matter 

of Campbell, 282 Ga. 688 (653 SE2d 51) (2007).

The State Bar filed a response and asserts that Webster’s 

petition contains admissions of fact and conduct sufficient to 

authorize the imposition of the discipline he has requested. It claims 

that Webster’s absence of a prior disciplinary record may be 

considered in mitigation, see American Bar Association’s Standards 

for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions (“ABA Standards”), Standard 9.32 
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(a), and that Webster’s dishonest or selfish motive; pattern of 

misconduct; and multiple offenses may be considered in

aggravation, see ABA Standard 9.22 (b), (c), and (d). The State Bar 

notes that previous disciplinary cases addressing violations of Rules

1.15 (I) and 1.15 (II) have resulted in disbarment. See In the Matter 

of Arrington, 314 Ga. 696, 698-99 (878 SE2d 534) (2022) (disbarring 

attorney who violated Rules 1.15 (I) (a) and 1.15 (II) (b)); In the 

Matter of Bunch, 314 Ga. 423, 424-25 (877 SE2d 274) (2022) 

(accepting voluntary surrender of license where attorney violated 

Rules 1.3, 1.15 (I) (a) and (c), 1.15 (II) (a) and (b), and 3.2); In the 

Matter of Stuhler, 291 Ga. 660, 660-61 (732 SE2d 84) (2012) 

(accepting voluntary surrender of license where attorney violated 

Rules 1.15 (I) (a) and (b) and 1.15 (II) (b)). Accordingly, the State Bar 

recommends that the Court accept Webster’s petition.

We have reviewed the record and agree to accept Webster’s 

petition for voluntary discipline wherein he requests that this Court 

accept the voluntary surrender of his license, which is tantamount 

to disbarment. Accordingly, it is ordered that the name of Steven 
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Ryan Webster be removed from the rolls of persons authorized to 

practice law in the State of Georgia. Webster is reminded of his 

duties pursuant to Bar Rule 4-219 (b).

Voluntary surrender of license accepted. All the Justices concur.