Opinion ID: 1376005
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Judicial Bias, Interim Awards, Shaw Offset

Text: Foley argues that he was denied the right to a fair trial. He claims that the judge abused his discretion, made errors of law, and made disparaging remarks to Foley and his attorney that showed judicial bias against him. In Nevada State Bank v. Snowden, 85 Nev. 19, 449 P.2d 254 (1969), this court stated that unless specifically objected to at trial, objections to a substantive error in the absence of constitutional considerations are waived. Id. at 21, 449 P.2d at 255. A party who claims judicial misconduct on appeal should make a specific objection at trial, and Foley made no such objection. Because Foley failed to preserve the objection of judicial misconduct, we conclude that his claim on that issue is meritless. Foley argues that the February 23, 1984, agreement was meant to encompass interim awards of Hughes fees made and funded after his withdrawal from the firm, and that the court should interpret the agreement to include an essential omitted term that would provide for the ninth and tenth interim awards. Under the trial court's ruling, Foley received twenty-three percent of the ninth interim award and nothing under the tenth interim award, which was wholly earned after he separated from the firm. Under the March 23, 1987, agreement, which was a settlement between Foley and Morse & Mowbray with respect to the Hughes estate fees, Foley received a Hughes fee award of $1,323,873.32. We have reviewed the agreement and conclude that the trial court's interpretation of it was fair and reasonable. Foley also argues that the court erred when it allowed Morse & Mowbray an offset of $22,627.46 against Foley on two accounts, the Shaw estate and the Shaw custody matters, that were originally with Morse-Foley. When Foley left Morse-Foley, the firm allowed him to take the Shaw files, and it assigned him the duty to collect on the accounts on behalf of the firm. Foley instructed his client not to pay the firm on the Shaw estate matter, and he failed to collect on both cases. The court found that the offset was proper and that Foley breached his fiduciary duty, not only by failing to collect the fees due, but by advising the client not to pay the agreed amount. After review of these facts, we conclude that Foley's claim with respect to the Shaw matters is meritless.