Opinion ID: 1169136
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Theft of Client's Money

Text: In December 1980, the respondent agreed to represent Lowell Seberson and Marvin Williams in the sale of their restaurant in La Junta, Colorado. The respondent misrepresented to Seberson and Williams that the title company involved in the sale required $20,000 to be placed in escrow. Seberson and Williams gave the respondent a check for that amount. The respondent told them that he would deposit the check into an interest-bearing account and that the money would come back to [them] within a year under [a] wrap-around mortgage arrangement. The respondent then deposited the money into his own checking account. Approximately one year later, Seberson inquired about the money. The respondent misrepresented to him that the money had been placed in a trust account and should remain there until an alleged certificate of deposit matured. In February of 1982, the respondent admitted to Seberson that he had spent the $20,000. These activities resulted in the respondent's conviction in 1983 of felony theft. See § 18-4-401, 8 C.R.S. (1978). We affirmed this conviction today in People v. Quick, 713 P.2d 1282 (Colo.1986). [1] The stipulation recognizes that the respondent's conduct in this matter violated DR1-102(A)(1) (violating a disciplinary rule), DR1-102(A)(3) (engaging in illegal conduct involving moral turpitude), DR1-102(A)(4) (engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation), DR1-102(A)(6) (engaging in conduct that adversely reflects on fitness to practice law), DR7-101(A)(2) (intentionally failing to carry out a contract of employment), DR7-101(A)(3) (intentionally damaging a client), and DR9-102(B)(4) (failing to promptly pay or deliver client's property to client), and therefore grounds for discipline exist under C.R.C.P. 241.6(1) (any act or omission that violates the provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility), C.R. C.P. 241.6(3) (any act or omission that violates the highest standards of honesty, justice, or morality), and C.R.C.P. 241.6(5) (any act or omission that violates the criminal laws of Colorado).