Florida Bar v. Davis

474 So. 2d 1165, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 401, 1985 Fla. LEXIS 3720
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedAugust 15, 1985
DocketNo. 65984
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 474 So. 2d 1165 (Florida Bar v. Davis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Florida Bar v. Davis, 474 So. 2d 1165, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 401, 1985 Fla. LEXIS 3720 (Fla. 1985).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This disciplinary proceeding by the Florida Bar against James N. Davis, a member of The Florida Bar, is presently before us on complaint of The Florida Bar and report of referee. Pursuant to article XI, Rule 11.06(9)(b) of the Integration Rule of The Florida Bar, the referee’s report and record were duly filed with this Court. No petition for review pursuant to article XI, Rule 11.09(1) of the Integration Rule of The Florida Bar has been filed.

Having considered the pleadings and evidence, the referee found as follows:

As to Count I:

1. Respondent represented the estate of Harold T. Butts in Volusia County Circuit Court Case 79-71402. Mr. John F. Bolt represented three opposing beneficiaries. In February, 1983, a settlement agreement was entered into between the personal representative of the estate and the three beneficiaries.
2. On February 15, 1983, respondent delivered his trust account check to Mr. Bolt in the amount of $30,179.59 as part of the settlement and requested he hold it for approximately two weeks. When Mr. Bolt presented the check for payment shortly after receiving it, the check bounced due to insufficient funds. When informed by Mr. Bolt, the respondent first indicated the check he had received from the personal representative had bounced creating a deficit in his trust account. Mr. Bolt later discovered the check from the personal representative had been cashed without delay when deposited on February 14, 1983. When he confronted the respondent, the latter admitted the problem but claimed the problem was caused by changing bank accounts.
3. Respondent satisfied the check in early March, 1983, through a loan from Dr. Jacques Caldwell. In fact, respondent had used the trust funds from the Butts estate to cover other pressing trust obligations of almost thirty thousand dollars which he had previously and improperly spent for his own personal obligations in January, 1983. The records show he deposited $29,885.05 on January 6, 1983 to account 98644, and paid out that amount on February 22, 1983. Immediately prior to the Butts deposit, the account balance was less than $1,700.00 due to a series of checks without corresponding deposits. ...
As to Count II:
4. Respondent maintained two trust accounts with the Atlantic Bank in Day-tona Beach, Florida. A review of respondent’s trust account records for the years 1982 and 1983 reveal that they were incomplete, improperly maintained and did not include the minimally required quarterly reconciliations. Many deposit slips and checks did not reflect the identity of the client. In those years, several trust account checks were returned due to insufficient funds. Finally, the only reconciliations respondent provided were for an account for the months of January through April, 1983.
5. The records also indicate at least thirteen checks were improperly issued by the respondent to pay child support and alimony to his exwife. These payments of approximately $700.00 each caused severe shortages in respondent’s trust account requiring him to obtain personal loans or use other unrelated trust funds in order to satisfy his pressing trust obligations.
As to Count III:
6. Respondent represented Mr. Tena Kebede, a native of Ethiopia, in several [1167]*1167and mainly real estate matters. Mr. Ke-bede speaks little English. Due to his representation respondent was aware that Mr. Kebede would receive some $50,000.00 as part of a real estate transaction at the end of April or beginning of May, 1983.
7. On or about May 4, 1983, Mr. Ke-bede had a meeting at respondent’s law office to discuss a real estate matter. At the end of this meeting, respondent asked Mr. Kebede if he could borrow $40,000.00 for a real estate deal which would make him several times that amount within the next month. Prior to entering into the loan agreement, respondent did not advise Mr. Kebede that their interests could differ, to seek independent counsel on the loan before agreeing to it, that an attorney was under a fiduciary obligation when entering into a business transaction with a client or the various security and collateral he might desire incorporated into the loan terms.
8. Mr. Kebede agreed to loan respondent $40,000.00 and refused respondent’s offer of 25% interest, preferring the lower bank rate. Thereafter, Mr. Kebede then paid the respondent $40,000.00 who gave him back a check dated June 4, 1983, in the amount of $40,533.33. On the check was the notation “repayment of loan.” When Mr. Kebede subsequently presented the check for payment, it was not honored due to insufficient funds.
9. Mr. Kebede unsuccessfully attempted to contact the respondent on numerous occasions to discuss the repayment of the loan. He finally hired another attorney to prosecute his claim for that repayment. Suit was filed against respondent and a default judgment entered. None of the loan has been repaid.
As to Count IV:
10. In 1982, respondent was retained by J.H. Muuse in connection with a bailment case with respect to a boat. He paid the respondent $2,700.00 as requested for total fees and costs. Suit was subsequently filed in circuit court in Vo-lusia County.
11. It appears that respondent initially filed suit against the wrong parties. He also failed to plead damages for loss of use. The Marina filed a claim in county court against Mr. Muuse for storage fees and received a judgment against Mr. Muuse due to respondent’s failure to appear or file any pleadings in his client’s behalf. When Mr. Muuse referred that claim to him as part of the overall case, respondent advised him he would take care of it.
12. Mr. Muuse made several trips from the Tampa area to Daytona Beach to speak with the respondent. However, he was successful only once. Respondent never contacted his client by telephone and only a few pieces of correspondence passed between them. The last record action taken by the respondent on behalf of Mr. Muuse in the circuit court case was in September, 1983. Thereafter, the respondent moved to Nevada without notifying his client or filing a motion to withdraw or otherwise protect the client. Mr. Muuse has retained other counsel. However, as a result of respondent’s failure to allege loss of use of the boat, the judge has ruled cannot be part of the disposition of the case.
As to Count V:
13. Respondent was retained by Dr. Jacques Caldwell around 1978 to represent him in the sale and purchase of various assets. This representation continued through the spring of 1983. In 1982, respondent and Dr. Caldwell entered into a joint venture to purchase a condominium. Their intention was to resell it for a profit and the condominium was sold in January, 1983. Dr. Caldwell's share of the proceeds from the sale was about $15,560.00, which respondent retained. Respondent represented the doctor and himself in both the purchase and the sale.
14. In 1982, the respondent also represented Dr. Caldwell in the sale of the latter’s aircraft depositing the net proceeds of approximately $7,412.00 into his trust account. He handled a similar air[1168]

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Bluebook (online)
474 So. 2d 1165, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 401, 1985 Fla. LEXIS 3720, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/florida-bar-v-davis-fla-1985.