Opinion ID: 2512380
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Initial $1,000 Payment

Text: ¶ 22 The hearing officer found that Mr. Cramer gave Mr. Garcia a form fee agreement but Mr. Garcia did not sign or return it. The form fee agreement contained a provision that the initial funds paid were nonrefundable. However, the hearing officer found that there was no meeting of the minds or agreement by Mr. Garcia that the initial $1,000 payment was nonrefundable. CP at 96. The hearing officer further found that Mr. Cramer should have known that the $1,000 should have been deposited to his trust account. Id. ¶ 23 Mr. Cramer argues that even though he cannot produce a written fee agreement with Mr. Garcia, nevertheless there was an oral agreement that the initial $1,000 payment was nonrefundable. Mr. Cramer testified that his standard practice was to always do a written fee agreement. However, Mr. Garcia testified that Mr. Cramer never told him that the $1,000 was nonrefundable and that he never saw or received any fee agreement. Instead, Mr. Garcia testified that he believed he was giving Mr. Cramer $1,000 to cover some work that needed to be done immediately, such as filing documents. ¶ 24 The testimonies of Mr. Cramer and Mr. Garcia are in direct conflict. Ordinarily we should not disturb the factual findings made by the hearing officer upon conflicting evidence. In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Dann, 136 Wash.2d 67, 78-79, 960 P.2d 416 (1998). The burglary of Mr. Cramer's office renders his inability to produce a signed fee agreement inconclusive. It is possible that the burglar took the fee agreement along with the financial documents. However, the hearing officer heard the testimony of both parties and made the conclusion that Mr. Cramer gave Mr. Garcia a fee agreement for him to sign and return but that Mr. Garcia never did so. This is a reasonable explanation as to why Mr. Cramer does not have a signed fee agreement from Mr. Garcia. Based on Mr. Garcia's testimony, the absence of a signed fee agreement, and Mr. Cramer's inability to recollect other details of the initial meeting with Mr. Garcia, the hearing officer's finding that no agreement was reached is supported by substantial evidence.