Opinion ID: 2548391
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: swartz matter

Text: Romero represented Albert Swartz on a criminal matter. Swartz was ordered to pay court costs of $291.40 and a crime victim compensation assessment of $500. Swartz gave Romero two checks: one for $1,500 as final payment for Romero's services and the other for $726 for Romero to pay his court costs and assessment. Romero cashed both checks the following day. However, he did not pay Swartz's court costs and assessment for three months. Nor did he deposit Swartz's funds into a trust account. In fact, Romero did not have a trust account at the time. A month before Romero paid Swartz's court costs and assessment, Swartz received notice from the county collections clerk, Stephanie Canterbury, that payment had not been received. After Swartz presented Canterbury with a carboncopy of the check he gave Romero, she pursued Romero for payment. Canterbury contacted Romero approximately 10 times requesting payment of the Swartz funds. He repeatedly replied with false and misleading statements regarding the funds. However, he never denied having the funds. Romero's misuse of client funds violated RPC 8.4(c) for which disbarment is recommended. [8] Romero's failure to deposit the funds in to a trust account violated RPC 1.14(a). [9] Disbarment is also recommended for this misconduct. Romero's false statements to Canterbury violated RPC 8.4(c) for which a one-year suspension is recommended by the Board.