Opinion ID: 4910552
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Estate of Barbara Jean Dillman Grievance

Text: ¶2 In 2003, Fields received his license to practice law in Oklahoma. He is currently in good standing with the OBA. In 2011, Barbara Jean Dillman died intestate with two known heirs: her son, Ty Dillman (Dillman), and daughter, Daphne Spencer (Spencer). The probate court originally appointed Dillman as the personal representative for the Estate of Barbara Jean Dillman. However, in June 2015, the probate court appointed Spencer as the personal representative because Dillman had to move out of state to care for his father. Fields represented Spencer. ¶3 The decedent's only assets were items of personal property and her house. In October 2015, Fields advised Spencer on how to use a Federal Tax Identification Number for the Estate, open a bank account in the name of the Estate, handle the funds from the sale of the decedent's house, and file certain tax forms on behalf of the Estate. Fields also told Spencer to contact him after the closing on the sale of the house to hire a certified public accountant to review the tax documents. ¶4 In December 2015, Spencer sold the decedent's house with the probate court's permission. Fields was not present for the closing, but the closing company issued a check for $6,401.15 to Fields for his attorney's fees. Fields did not return the funds to the Estate nor did he obtain court approval for his attorney's fees. Fields also did not place the funds in an Interest On Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA); he did not even maintain an IOLTA account. ¶5 The closing company issued Spencer a check for $52,909.35, which was the net sale proceeds after payment of all fees and expenses. Spencer did not notify Dillman that she sold the decedent's house and did not follow Fields's instructions regarding the handling of the funds from the sale of the real property. Instead, Spencer spent the proceeds of the sale, misappropriating the proceeds to the detriment of the other heir. Further, neither Fields nor Spencer submitted a final accounting to the probate court, and the probate matter remains pending. ¶6 On April 3, 2017, Dillman submitted a grievance to the OBA, alleging Fields committed professional misconduct in the handling of the Estate of Barbara Jean Dillman.