Dean Russell Hyatt

Dean Russell Hyatt was admitted to the California Bar 14th December 1972, but is now resigned. Dean graduated from Western State University.

Lawyer Information

Name	Dean Russell Hyatt
First Admitted	14 December 1972 (51 years, 4 months ago)
Status	Resigned
Bar Number	53797

Contact

Phone Number	909-944-2595

School

Law School	Western State University (CA)

Address

Current Address	3350 Shelby St #200 Ontario, CA 91761
Map

History

1 December 1999	Resigned (24 years, 5 months ago) Resignation with charges pending 99-Q-12092
27 September 1999	Not eligible to practice law in CA (24 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees
21 September 1999	Not eligible to practice law in CA (24 years, 7 months ago) Vol.inactive(tender of resign.w/charges) 99-Q-12092
8 October 1997	Not eligible to practice law in CA (26 years, 6 months ago) Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 93-O-11820
11 January 1997	Active (27 years, 3 months ago)
13 September 1996	Not eligible to practice law in CA (27 years, 7 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 93-O-11820
14 December 1972	Admitted to the State Bar of California (51 years, 4 months ago)

Discipline Summaries

September 13, 1996

DEAN RUSSELL HYATT [#53797], 51, of Ontario was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on four years of probation with an actual 120-day suspension, and was ordered to make restitution, take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Sept. 13, 1996.

Hyatt stipulated that he improperly managed the financial affairs of a limited partnership in which he was both the general partner and attorney. By holding both positions, he knowingly acquired a pecuniary interest adverse to his client's and the partnership, and did not advise the limited partners that they could seek independent legal advice. He commingled partnership funds with personal funds and misrepresented the partnership's financial status to its limited partners.

Hyatt had formed the limited partnership, Rialto Foothill Development Associates, to purchase, develop and sell vacant lots in Rialto. At the same time, Hyatt was the sole stockholder, officer and director of Hyatt Land Development Corp., Rialto's general partner. He served as Rialto's attorney for its acquisition of real property for development.

Rialto's nine limited partners invested a total of $150,000 in the partnership; neither Hyatt nor the land development corporation made any capital investment.

About a year after the partnership was formed, Hyatt executed a promissory note for a personal debt, secured by Rialto's property. He violated the partnership agreement by doing so. A year later, after telling one of his investors that things were going well, he admitted he had placed Rialto into bankruptcy two months earlier.

A subsequent review of Rialto's financial records revealed that partnership money was unaccounted for and Hyatt had used some money for personal expenses. Eventually, the bankruptcy court entered a judgment against Hyatt for $281,549, which he has not repaid to any of the Rialto partnership.

In a second case against Hyatt, he failed to properly handle a business slander action in which he represented the plaintiff. He failed to respond to interrogatories or motions by the defense, attend two hearings or schedule his client's deposition. He did not notify his client about the various motions or tell him of the dismissal of certain defendants.

His client fired Hyatt and sued him for malpractice. Hyatt settled and agreed to pay his former client $50,000. Although he paid $20,000, he has since failed to abide by the agreed upon payment schedule.

In mitigation, Hyatt was never disciplined in 14 years of practice prior to these cases. He suffers from severe depression, which affected his ability to attend to his business and client matters.

Dean Hyatt