Opinion ID: 2640086
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bankruptcy Consultation

Text: As discussed below in conjunction with a challenge to the financial-gain special circumstance, the prosecution sought to prove that defendant killed Sonia, at least in part, to avoid paying her $375 a month in court-ordered child support. Over defendant's assertion of the attorney-client privilege, the trial court admitted prosecution evidence that he consulted with a bankruptcy attorney before the capital crime. Defendant now argues that the trial court erred in rejecting his privilege claim. He also asserts a violation of his federal constitutional right to due process and a fair trial. We decline to reverse the judgment on such grounds. As relevant here, the prosecution called Attorney Rene Lopez de Arenosa to testify that defendant consulted him about bankruptcy shortly before the murders. The prosecutor indicated that because the conversation occurred in front of codefendant Lee, an extraneous third party, it was not confidential or protected under the attorney-client privilege. Defendant disagreed and asserted the privilege, urging the court to hold an evidentiary hearing if it had any doubts. After taking a brief break to research the matter, the court indicated that the issue was close, and agreed to hold a hearing. The court said it tentatively favored the prosecution view, but noted the contrary argument that Lee (though married to someone other than defendant) was living with defendant in an intimate relationship at the time, and was arguably a putative wife whose presence at the bankruptcy meeting did not affect confidentiality. At the ensuing hearing, Attorney Arenosa testified that, in early 1995, he met with defendant and his mother, Doris, to discuss her bankruptcy, and that he once represented defendant in a paternity case. In March or April 1995, defendant made another appointment. He arrived at Arenosa's office with codefendant Lee, calling her his girlfriend. Arenosa further testified as follows: Lee was present in the room during defendant's 30-minute meeting with Arenosa. The discussion focused solely on defendant's financial condition and discharging his debts in bankruptcy. Defendant showed Arenosa his credit card bills. According to Arenosa, he and defendant spoke in English, except when they discussed specific debts in Spanish. Lee's financial situation was not discussed. Arenosa did not meet with defendant or Lee again, and prepared no bankruptcy documents. The only other witness at the evidentiary hearing was defendant. He confirmed that the meeting concerned his possible bankruptcy. Defendant testified that one of the bills he mentioned was the Household Finance loan he shared with Lee. Defendant viewed Arenosa as his attorney, wrote him a check for his services that day, and assumed the conversation was confidential. Defendant recalled that the conversation occurred in English and Spanish, with defendant speaking mainly in Spanish. On cross-examination, defendant admitted that he and Lee had exchanged letters written in a mixture of Spanish and English. He indicated that Lee understood Spanish, and had been studying to learn more. After the hearing, the court entertained additional argument. Alluding to applicable statutory law, which we discuss below, the prosecutor reiterated that Lee's presence defeated confidentiality between defendant and Arenosa, because there was no reason for her to be at the meeting other than to offer emotional support. Defendant's counsel countered that Lee was present to serve both her and defendant's interests insofar as they were both liable for one of the debts that he might discharge in bankruptcy. The trial court rejected defendant's claim. It concluded that his bankruptcy planning had nothing to do with Lee, because it concerned only the discharge of his debts. The court explained that Lee wasn't a necessary party and she wasn't there to further [defendant's] interest. Hence, the court agreed with the prosecution, that Lee's presence meant the conversation with Arenosa was not confidential and that it could not be excluded on privilege grounds. However, in an abundance of caution, the court limited the information that Arenosa could disclose to the jury about the meeting, namely, that he met with defendant and Lee on a certain day, and that the discussion with defendant concerned bankruptcy. Consistent with this ruling, Arenosa testified for the prosecution at trial that defendant and Lee visited his law office in late March or early April 1995, and that he spoke with defendant about bankruptcy. On cross-examination, Lee's counsel elicited that the meeting focused on defendant's, not Lee's, financial state. (12) By statute, a client holds a privilege to prevent the disclosure of his confidential communications with an attorney. (Evid. Code, §§ 952-954.) A person becomes a client when he consults an attorney to retain him or secure legal services or advice. ( Id., § 951.) The transmission of information between lawyer and client in the course of that relationship is confidential and protected only if it occurs by a means which, so far as the client is aware, discloses the information to no third persons other than those who are present to further the interest of the client in the consultation or those to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for the transmission of the information or the accomplishment of the purpose for which the lawyer is consulted. (Id., § 952, italics added; see People v. Gionis (1995) 9 Cal.4th 1196, 1207 [40 Cal.Rptr.2d 456, 892 P.2d 1199].) Moreover, the client can later forfeit, or waive, the privilege as to any confidential communication otherwise protected thereunder if he has disclosed a significant part of the communication or has consented to disclosure made by anyone. (Evid. Code, § 912, subd. (a); see People v. Barnett (1998) 17 Cal.4th 1044, 1124 [74 Cal.Rptr.2d 121, 954 P.2d 384].) Defendant argues here, much as he did below, that even if Lee was not reasonably necessary for the transmission of the information or the accomplishment of the purpose of defendant's bankruptcy consultation, she was present to further [their joint] interest. (Evid. Code, § 952.) In making this argument, defendant emphasizes the applicable Law Revision Commission Comment stating that an attorney-client communication retains its confidential character even though it is made in the presence of another person such as a spouse, parent, business associate, or joint clientwho is present to further the interest of the client in the consultation. (Cal. Law Revision Com. com., 29B pt. 3 West's Ann. Evid. Code (1995 ed.) foll. § 952, p. 210.) Defendant suggests this principle applies here because Lee was his intimate partner and they shared liability on the Household Finance loan. We need not, and do not, decide the issue. Even assuming error occurred, it was harmless under any applicable standard. At most, Arenosa's testimony established that defendant, by seeking legal advice about declaring bankruptcy, was deeply concerned about his personal financial state shortly before the capital crime. However, the jury learned in great detail from other witnesses that defendant's debts, including his child support payments, exceeded his assets and income, and that he was having trouble paying his bills. Defendant told one of his supervisors, Moreno, that he was fucked for the next seven years, because he was going to have to file bankruptcy. Jurors also learned that he had asked one manager at work, Shafer, for a referral to an attorney, alluding to his child support problems. The jury almost certainly would not have reached a different outcome at the guilt phase had the trial court excluded Arenosa's brief and limited testimony confirming that a bankruptcy consultation with him had occurred.