Opinion ID: 1439142
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Miller Complaint

Text: At issue here is an allegation that Mr. Newman converted to his own personal use cash funds paid by Mr. Miller as attorney's fees in criminal matters in which Mr. Newman was representing him. According to the complaint, Mr. Newman converted $650.00 in fees intended for his law firm, thereby violating Model Rules 1.15(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c). According to Mr. Miller, he made an initial cash payment of $150.00 while meeting with Mr. Newman at his office. The Matthews firm had a record of this payment, $125.00 of the money was credited to Mr. Miller's case in the City of Lowell, while the remaining $25.00 was credited to his case in the City of Rogers. Mr. Miller also claimed that he made a second cash payment of $175.00 that he assumed would be used to resolve a warrant that had been issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court. The Matthews firm had no record of this payment. The third payment Mr. Miller stated that he made was in the amount of $475.00, and he stated that he gave Mr. Newman this money after he met him at an A & W gas station a couple of days prior to his scheduled court date in Rogers. Mr. Newman stated that he only received money from Mr. Miller on one occasion, when he met him at the A & W gas station. According to Mr. Newman, however, Mr. Miller only paid him $150.00, which he then handed over to the firm as reflected by the firm's account. After reviewing the evidence, the special judge determined that Mr. Newman violated Rules 1.15(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c). The special judge found that the weight of evidence proved that the $150.00 paid by Mr. Miller was paid immediately after his first meeting with Mr. Newman. The trial court discredited Mr. Miller's testimony regarding the second payment of $175.00, but concluded that his testimony that he paid $475.00 at the A & W meeting was more credible than Mr. Newman's explanations that he only paid $150.00 at that meeting. Mr. Newman argues that the trial court erred in finding that he violated these rules because Mr. Miller's testimony was contradictory and implausible. Again, the special judge's findings in this regard are based on his assessment of the evidence and the credibility of witnesses; hence, we cannot say that he clearly erred in this regard. Mr. Newman also reiterates his previous argument that there can be no violation of Rule 8.4(b) because he committed no crime here. Having addressed the criminal-charge issue in the Barkasy matter, we need not reiterate our position.