Opinion ID: 1256160
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Count4 Complaints of Keith and Marianne Short, Dr. Lurito, and Dr. Gerwin

Text: Keith and Marianne Short retained Mr. Wheaton to represent them in a personal injury action which was scheduled for trial in one month. The Shorts gave Mr. Wheaton $7,500.00 to cover the advance payments needed for the expert witnesses who would testify at trial. A jury verdict was awarded in the amount of $34,726.30, which Mr. Wheaton deposited into his IOLTA account. Mr. Wheaton then wrote a check to the Shorts for their portion of the award, and wrote himself a check for his fee. The check written to the Shorts was returned for insufficient funds. A second felony worthless check warrant was issued against Mr. Wheaton as a result. During the course of representing the Shorts, Mr. Wheaton hired Dr. Lurito to testify and produce a report regarding future and past economic damages. Dr. Lurito's fee was $2,500.00. The checks written by Mr. Wheaton to Dr. Lurito were returned for insufficient funds. Dr. Lurito eventually filed an ethics complaint with the ODC against Mr. Wheaton. Dr. Gerwin was also hired to be an expert in the case, and his fees totaled $2,300.00. Although Dr. Gerwin received a $50.00 check which cleared, the remaining $2,250.00 in checks were returned for insufficient funds. Dr. Gerwin eventually also filed an ethics complaint with the ODC against Mr. Wheaton. The Board investigated the complaints filed by Drs. Lurito and Gerwin and found violations of Rule 1.15(b) [20] by Mr. Wheaton's failure to deliver client funds, failure to pay for expert services, and misappropriation of advanced funds and settlement proceeds to his own use. It was further found that Mr. Wheaton intentionally converted his clients' funds to his own use in violation of Rule 8.4 [21] of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The Board further found that Mr. Wheaton violated Rule 8.1 [22] of the Rules of Professional conduct when he made material misrepresentations to the ODC in connection with the investigation of the ethics complaints, and falsely represented to the ODC that his clients and the retained experts had either been paid in full or would be paid by a certain date.