Opinion ID: 2603654
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Hearing Panel Findings and Sufficiency of Evidence

Text: (11) Petitioner asserts that the review department's findings in aggravation are not supported by the findings of the hearing panel. The argument is without merit. The review department has the authority to adopt findings, conclusions and a decision or recommendation at variance with the hearing department. (Transitional Rules Proc. of State Bar, rule 453(a).) Because the review department has such authority, we will deem petitioner's assertion to be a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence to support the review department's findings in aggravation. We agree with petitioner that the record does not support the review department's finding that Mrs. Cabrera was a family friend of petitioner. The record merely shows that before the misconduct in this case petitioner represented Dr. and Mrs. Cabrera in some legal matters, that Mrs. Cabrera would inquire about petitioner's children, and that she invited petitioner to see her in Tennessee if he happened to be in that state for a visit. These instances do not support the review department's finding that Mrs. Cabrera was a family friend. The record does, however, support the review department's finding that petitioner took advantage of Mrs. Cabrera's move to Tennessee after her husband's death. The record discloses that attorneys from Tennessee representing Mrs. Cabrera contacted petitioner on various occasions in an effort to obtain her funds from petitioner. Although petitioner told the attorneys he would pay Mrs. Cabrera, he did not do so until after the State Bar hearing in this case. We conclude that the review department properly considered these circumstances as aggravating factors. (Std. 1.2(b)(iii).) Contrary to petitioner's assertion, the review department properly found that petitioner had exhibited gross neglect in the management of his trust funds and office accounts. The record shows that petitioner's trust account was overdrawn on several occasions, and that his bank statements could not be reconciled.