Opinion ID: 1931842
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The White Funds

Text: A finding that Edwards misappropriated the White funds is also unsupported by the record. On August 1, 1996, Ms. White brought $430.86 in cash to Ms. Edwards' office, gave that money to an employee of Edwards, and received a receipt indicating that it was for Ford Motor Creditpayment. There was evidence that Edwards was unaware that White had paid the money, and it was never deposited in either the escrow account or the operating account. The Board found, nevertheless, that when Edwards allowed the balance in her escrow account to drop below $430.86, she committed reckless misappropriation. We cannot agree. Although Edwards' failure to deposit White's payment may have violated her obligation to safeguard client property (Rule 1.15(a)) and to deposit funds in a specially designated bank account (Rule 1.17(a)), the evidence does not establish that she misappropriated White's money. The fact that the balance in the escrow account fell below $430.86, the amount of Ms. White's payment, is without significance because the White money was not deposited in that account.