Opinion ID: 2498717
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Juvenile Matter

Text: In 2008, Respondent represented a juvenile in a criminal matter for a $2,500.00 flat fee. Respondent testified that the flat fee agreement entitled him to receive $1,250.00 on his first entry of appearance and $1,250.00 at the conclusion of the case. The juvenile's family paid the entire flat fee with a credit card. Respondent deposited the fee into his COLTAF account. After entering his appearance, Respondent withdrew $1,250.00 and sent the family a bill for this amount. [60] A pretrial conference was set in the matter for April 23, 2008. Respondent failed to appear on time for this hearing. The juvenile's family called Respondent from the court to notify him about the hearing. Respondent immediately went to the court and was able to reschedule the hearing. Respondent admitted that he failed to properly calendar this hearing and as a result failed to timely appear. The People did not present any evidence that Respondent engaged in additional conduct that compounded this error. In June 2008, the juvenile's family terminated Respondent's services and asked for a full refund of the flat fee. Respondent agreed to refund the remaining unearned $1,250.00 balance and sent the family a check. Rather than cashing the check, the family contacted the credit card company, which refunded $2,500.00 to them. After Respondent sent the credit card company a copy of his bill, the company returned the $2,500.00 to Respondent. Respondent gave the family another check for $1,250.00 but they did not cash this check until September 2008. [61] Although Respondent did give the People his accounting records from January 2008 to June 2008, he did not provide additional COLTAF accounting records requested by the People. [62] Respondent claims that he withheld these documents because the People's complaint was vague and he was unable to determine from its allegations to which of his clients and to which timeframe the People were referring. [63] The People maintain that Respondent failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing his juvenile client in violation of Colo. RPC 1.3 when he failed to appear at the pretrial conference. The Hearing Board does not find Respondent failed to act with reasonable diligence in representing the juvenile based upon an isolated failure to timely attend one court hearing. [64] Although Respondent was surely negligent in failing to properly calendar this pretrial hearingan oversight we do not condonehe immediately went to the court that same day and requested, and was able, to continue the pretrial hearing. Therefore, we do not find that Respondent violated Colo. RPC 1.3. In closing argument, the People conceded that they were unable to meet their burden on their Colo. RPC 1.15(j) claim, which alleged that Respondent did not maintain the required trust account records in this client matter. Indeed, the People admitted they were unable to offer any evidence demonstrating Respondent's lack of compliance with this rule during his representation of this client. Based upon the People's concession, the Hearing Board finds no violation of Colo. RPC 1.15(j).