Scherma, Matter of, 378

• Decision Date: 27 November 1985
• Docket Number: No. 378,378
• Citation: 255 Ga. 206,336 S.E.2d 570
• Parties: In the Matter of Fredrick M. SCHERMA.
• Court: Georgia Supreme Court

Page 570

336 S.E.2d 570

255 Ga. 206

In the Matter of Fredrick M. SCHERMA.

No. 378.

Supreme Court of Georgia.

Nov. 27, 1985.

William P. Smith III, Gen. Counsel State Bar, Omer W. Franklin, Jr., Gen. Counsel, Joe David Jackson, Asst. Gen. Counsel, Atlanta, for the State Bar.

PER CURIAM.

The State Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia found that respondent, Frederick R. Scherma, had violated Standards 4 and 65 of Bar Rule 4-102.

The respondent was charged by formal complaint with withholding from his client in a workers' compensation case more than the agreed amount as attorney fees, and with endorsing and depositing to his own account checks payable to the client using a forged power of attorney.

The State Disciplinary Board entered the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

"2. Respondent directly or indirectly endorsed checks for bi-weekly benefits which were made payable to Mr. Elder and deposited the checks to Respondent's account.

"3. Mr. Elder did not sign the purported Power of Attorney dated January 19, 1982.

"4. Although Respondent notarized the purported Power of Attorney, Respondent did not witness the signature nor did Respondent have Mr. Elder appear before him to acknowledge that the signature was that of Mr. Elder.

"5. That Mr. Elder did not give Respondent authority to endorse the bi-weekly benefit checks and deposit those checks into Respondent's account.

"6. That Mr. Elder signed the Worker's Compensation stipulation and preliminary settlement statement on the same date, August 12, 1983.

* * *

"1. That the Respondent has violated Standard 4 of Bar Rule 4-102 by using a Power of Attorney to deposit checks to his account which were not signed by Mr. Elder.

"2. That Respondent has violated Standards 4 and 65 of Bar Rule 4-102 by failing to promptly render an appropriate accounting to Mr. Elder in that Mr. Elder received a copy of a preliminary settlement statement at the same time he signed the Worker's Compensation stipulation. This preliminary settlement statement did not accurately reflect the distribution of money which was made by Respondent."

Respondent enumerates as error that the Board erred in its findings of fact 2-6, above. He also urges that the Board erred in not considering newly discovered evidence that his client was satisfied with respondent's handling of the case and his fee. ¹

Bar Rule 4-219(a) provides that findings of fact by the State Disciplinary Board shall be conclusive if supported by any evidence. The evidence supports findings of fact 2-6, above. For example, the client testified that the signature on the power of attorney was not his, and this testimony was confirmed by a document examiner from the GBI Division of Forensic Sciences. In addition, the client testified that he did not orally authorize respondent to sign his name on (endorse) his benefit checks, and the existence of the forged power of attorney corroborates this testimony. Finally, the client testified that he signed the workers' compensation...