伦理意见251

Safekeeping of Settlement Proceeds Claimed Both by the Client and a Third Person

当客户和第三人都要求从澳门赌场官网在其IOLTA账户中持有的和解收益中获得利益时, 如果澳门赌场官网有理由相信第三方对争议部分有正当要求，则不应将争议部分支付给委托人. 这些有争议的收益应保留在帐户中，直到争议解决为止. 和解收益的任何无争议部分必须立即分配给有权获得该部分的各方.

适用的规则

• 规则1.15 (保管的财产)
• 规则1.6 (Confidentiality of Information)

调查

The inquirer represents a client in a personal injury case who was treated at D.C. 综合医院. The District of Columbia Government paid the client’s medical expenses. 诉讼对客户有利，询问者已收到和解金. The District Government, under D.C. Code &教3 - 507, 节., 《澳门赌场官网》(Health Care Assistance报销法)宣称，医疗补助计划(Medicaid)对和解所得具有留置权, 要求偿还地区代表客户支付的医疗福利. 后结算, the lawyer requested the District to reduce the amount of its lien because (1) some of the amounts reflected in the lien were for charges unrelated to his client’s accident-related injuries and medical care; (2) some of the accident-related charges were deemed excessive in a deposition given by the client’s D.C. 综合医院 treating physician; and (3) the lien is subject to compromise under D.C. Code &教3 - 507 (b). Either the District has refused, or has not responded to, this request. 询问者的客户已要求询问者将所有和解收益直接支付给他. 询问者指出，他希望他的客户一旦收到钱就会花掉，并询问他是否可以, 按照规定, hold the funds that are subject to the District’s lien in his IOLTA account.

讨论

规则1.15, 保管的财产, 一般要求澳门赌场官网及时向客户或第三人交付客户或第三人有权获得的任何资金或其他财产.¹ 对规则1的注释[4].第15条承认，其他当事人“可能只是对澳门赌场官网保管的资金或其他财产提出索赔.该评论进一步指出，澳门赌场官网“可能有责任根据适用法律保护此类第三方索赔免受客户的不当干涉。, and accordingly may refuse to surrender the property to the client.“在本案中, 区政府已对部分和解所得主张法定留置权. District law provides that, 在收到完善的医疗补助留置权通知后(大概是这里的情况), 某些人未支付满足留置权所需的金额而处分资金的, 该人对该区无法收回的任何款项承担一年的个人责任.²

当澳门赌场官网持有资金，他合理地认为是受完善的法定留置权, 留置权应被视为第三方对澳门赌场官网保管的资金的“正当索赔”, as that term is used in 对规则1的注释[4].15. Under such circumstances, 澳门赌场官网应拒绝向委托人支付有争议的和解收益. 相反，澳门赌场官网应该持有争议资金，直到争议得到解决.³ 当然, 无争议部分的收益应根据规则1及时交付给客户.15(b). 规则1.15 and the comment thereunder recognize that, although the lawyer has a paramount obligation to the client, there may also be an ethical duty to third parties as to funds, in the lawyer’s possession, to which the third parties may be entitled.⁴

In cases where the lawyer holds disputed funds, 应客户的要求，他可以尝试通过与主张资金索取权的一方谈判来解决争议. 在双方达成协议或法院命令处理争议资金之前, the inquirer must hold the contested proceeds pursuant to 规则1.15(a). Upon request of the 第三方 (or the client), the lawyer must render a full account as to the proceeds, subject to the confidentiality rules of 规则1.6.

结论

澳门赌场官网只能向委托人分配委托人有权获得的和解金.

调查没有. 93-7-17
Adopted: October 18, 1994

1. 规则1.15 (b):
收到委托人或第三人有利害关系的资金或其他财产时, a lawyer shall promptly notify the client or third person. 除非本规则另有规定，或法律或与客户的协议另有规定, 澳门赌场官网应当及时向委托人或者第三人交付委托人或者第三人有权收受的款项或者其他财产, upon request by the client or third person, shall promptly render a full accounting regarding such property, 受规则1约束.6.
2. D.C. 法典第3-507条规定:
如果在收到本条第(d)款第(2)款规定的留置权通知后，受益人, 第三方, 或第三方侵权行为人的保险公司处置根据本条完善的留置权所涵盖的资金，而未向地区法院支付其在付清任何先前留置权后本可由该等资金清偿的留置权金额, 的受益人, 第三方, 或保险公司, for a period of 1 year from the date the funds were improperly disposed of, be liable to the District for any amount that, because of the disposition, 它无法恢复.
3. 看,e.g.——卡西迪，89岁，伊利诺伊州. 2d 145, 432 N.E.2d 274 (1982). 法院认为，如果澳门赌场官网没有将第三方拥有留置权的信托账户中的和解收益支付给其客户，则不应受到指责.
4. 规则1.15(b)及评论[4]. 参见Leon v. 马丁内斯,N.Y. Ct. 应用程序. No. 103 (7/7/94). 在马丁内斯, 法院驳回了澳门赌场官网的论点，即根据DR 9-102，他有义务向他的客户支付他拥有的和解基金，并允许第三方起诉澳门赌场官网，以强制执行他们对部分和解收益的要求. 法院的结论是，该规则明确规定了对第三方在资金方面的道德义务, 澳门赌场官网持有, to which the third parties may be entitled.