Pomona, CA 91767
27 November 2004 | Disbarred (19 years, 5 months ago) Disbarment 03-O-01706 |
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16 September 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
24 June 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 10 months ago) Ordered inactive 03-O-01706 |
2 February 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (20 years, 2 months ago) Ordered inactive 03-O-01706 |
1 October 2003 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-01706 (20 years, 7 months ago) |
14 October 1993 | Active (30 years, 6 months ago) |
18 December 1989 | Disbarred (34 years, 4 months ago) Disbarment 86-C-19563 |
5 August 1985 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (38 years, 9 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
11 January 1985 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (39 years, 3 months ago) Interim suspension after conviction |
2 June 1972 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (51 years, 11 months ago) |
November 27, 2004 FRED RIVAS [#52736], 66, of Pomona was ordered to comply with rule 955. Rivas also was disbarred in 1989 following five felony convictions for violating the Elections Code. Rivas misappropriated at least $75,600 from a client who had hired him to represent her and her daughters in the sale of a house. The client was terminally ill and also hired Rivas to prepare her will.When the house was sold, Rivas received a check for more than $90,000, representing his late client’s share of the proceeds. She had instructed him to give her husband $10,000, plus another $5,000 for her funeral expenses, and Rivas did so. However, the husband subsequently could not reach Rivas for a year and hired another lawyer to represent him in the distribution of his wife’s assets.Rivas did not respond to a demand by the new lawyer that he return all files and documents regarding the sale of the property and the client’s estate. Rivas owed the client’s husband more than $75,000.While keeping the money in his client trust account, Rivas commingled business and personal funds, writing 252 checks for more than $80,000 to individuals and businesses such as Costco, Direct TV, Golf Digest, AT&T and Westin Busas Resort Ixtapa.He did not reply to inquiries from a State Bar investigator.In a default proceeding, the State Bar Court found that Rivas misappropriated his client’s money, committing an act of moral turpitude, failed to maintain client funds in trust, commingled client and personal funds and failed to cooperate with the bar’s investigation. Rivas was convicted in 1985 of knowingly providing the registrar of voters with false residency information while running for judge on the San Bernardino Munici-pal Court. Disbarring him in 1989, the Supreme Court noted that his actions were designed “solely to advance his career. Such dishonesty — particularly because it was aimed at ascending to the judiciary — raises serious questions concerning his professional trustworthiness and judgment.†In urging his second disbarment, the bar court cited Rivas’ “blatant disregard of professional responsibilities. He had flagrantly breached his fiduciary duties to his client.â€-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |