Opinion ID: 2054193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Complaint of Michele C. Dial

Text: Respondent excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that Respondent did not retain the $4,996.40 in his client funds account, but instead withdrew large sums from the account by checks made payable to himself and cash, thereby causing the balance in this account to dip below the $4,966.40 held on behalf of Ms. Dial. Respondent asserts that the escrow account did not fall below $4,996.40 until a year after the funds were deposited; the balance fluctuated thereafter; and this account was an escrow account and not an estate account. Even if what Respondent says is true, Judge Jacobson's factual findings are still completely accurate. It matters not when the funds were withdrawn or that they were withdrawn from an escrow account as opposed to as estate account. What is relevant is that Ms. Dial gave the funds to Respondent for the purpose of paying estate expenses, and Respondent withdrew those funds for purposes other than that for which they were entrusted to him. This exception is overruled. Respondent's next exception relates to Judge Jacobson's failure to acknowledge Respondent's inexperience in handling estates and Ms. Dial's alleged lack of cooperation. Even accepting his contentions as true, Respondent's inexperience in estate matters is no excuse for his incompetent handling of Mr. Dyson's small estate. Also, Ms. Dial's alleged lack of cooperation does not excuse Respondent's inaction and incompetence. Respondent did not need Ms. Dial's cooperation to do most of the matters he was required to do as personal representative. Respondent's claims of inexperience and lack of cooperation are disingenuous. This exception is overruled. Respondent next excepts to Judge Jacobson's finding that he inaccurately reported the balance in Mr. Dyson's savings account. Respondent wrongly states that he is accused of stealing money from Dyson's bank accounts. To the contrary, Respondent was never accused of stealing money from Mr. Dyson's bank accounts. He was accused of incompetence and lack of diligence in not closing these accounts, failing to open an estate account, and failing to use these funds to pay estate expenses and debts. Respondent reported an inaccurate figure as the balance in the decedent's savings account and failed to file an amended petition correcting that error. This exception is overruled. Respondent's next exception is to Judge Jacobson's statement that Ms. Dial filed a complaint with the Commission claiming that the Respondent misused her funds and did not properly manage the estates of Mr. and Ms. Dyson. This exception is sustained in part because there was only one estate: that of Mr. Dyson. Ms. Dial's complaint actually is that Respondent mishandled Mr. Dyson's estate and converted her own funds, which she entrusted to him as her lawyer. This exception is overruled in part because Respondent did convert funds that she entrusted to him as her lawyer.