Opinion ID: 2565957
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: CountI RPC 3.3(a)(1)[12]

Text: RPC 3.3(a)(1) states [a] lawyer shall not knowingly make a false statement of material fact or law to a tribunal. The Board's modified findings of fact show Dynan knowingly submitted material and false declarations and attached billings in support of his motions for attorney's fees. [13] Therefore, the Board correctly concluded that Dynan's conduct constituted a violation of RPC 3.3(a)(1).
Dynan argues that an attorney does not have to provide documentation of his actual fee rate to the court because the actual rate may not be the reasonable rate and is therefore not material to a determination of a reasonable fee award. Dynan further asserts that an attorney's actual rate is not material to a fee award because the purpose of fee awards is to penalize the opposing party and this may be accomplished by a reasonable fee greater than the actual fee charged. Dynan relies on the lodestar method of calculating fees, the context of his fee arrangement, and the overall purpose of fee shifting statutes to support his immaterial argument. We recognize there are instances where an attorney's actual fee may be less than a reasonable fee, that one purpose of fee shifting statutes is to penalize certain parties, and that the lodestar method may not specifically require an attorney to submit his actual billing rate. [14] However, Dynan's arguments focusing on the materiality of the undisclosed actual fee are inapposite because the real issue is whether statements Dynan submitted to the court (e.g., the declarations including a false rate) are material. Whether a false statement is material is a matter of law for this court, not Dynan, to decide. See RCW 9A.72.010(1) (defining materially false statements in the perjury context and stating that whether a statement is material is a matter of law for the court to determine); see also State v. Dial, 44 Wash.App. 11, 14, 720 P.2d 461 (1986) (stating in a perjury case that the materiality of a false statement is a matter of law). Material facts are generally those facts upon which the outcome of the litigation depends in whole or in part. In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Carmick, 146 Wash.2d 582, 600, 48 P.3d 311 (2002); see also RCW 9A.72.010(1) (defining a materially false statement in the perjury context as any false statement which could have affected the course or outcome of the proceeding). Therefore, if the submitted declarations stating a false rate would affect or determine the fee award, the declarations are material. Judge Terry D. Sebring, the presiding judge in the Han case where fees were awarded, testified that typically when a lawyer wants a fee award that is higher than his actual fee the lawyer discloses this to the court. RP (Dec. 4, 2001) at 114-15, 119-20; see also RP (Dec. 4, 2001) at 56-57, 168 (two Washington lawyers testifying to this practice). [15] He testified that he assumed the rate in the billing submitted to the court was accurate, that changing the actual rate was inappropriate, and that factual misstatements are not acceptable. RP (Dec. 4, 2001) at 116, 119-21. Further, Judge Sebring awarded Allstate attorney fees based on the amount requested in the declaration, which used the false $150 hourly rate. See Ex. 8 (Dynan's declaration); Ex. 9 (award of attorney fees). Based on this evidence, we hold that the declaration Dynan submitted to the court was material to the determination of a fee award in Han, and the submitted declarations in Hedberg and Walls would have been material to the fee award if an award had been granted.
Dynan parses out his declarations and argues that the declarations do not contain false statements because he stated only that the rates were reasonable, not true and correct, and the rates in the attachments are reasonable. We disagree with Dynan's attempt to deconstruct his declarations and instead interpret each declaration as a whole. It is reasonable for a judge to read a declaration stating attached hereto ... are true and correct billings for my time and services expended on this matter, followed by a statement reciting the fee as reasonable, and assume that if the time and services are true and correct, the billing rate is as well. [16] Here that was not the case. Dynan concedes that he altered billing statements and attached those statements to a declaration stating the billing as true and correct. Therefore the declaration was false.