Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

22 N.J. 212

125 A.2d 399

In Re Backes

Supreme Court of New Jersey

Decided September 24, 1956

Supreme Court of New Jersey · decided 1956-09-24

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently January 1962

2 state decisions

Relies on In Re Frankel · 138 N.J. Eq. 508 - Bolte v. Rainville

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1956-09-24

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Heher, J.

¶1(concurring in part). I am not persuaded that in the charges made for services the respondent was guilty of moral delinquency meriting disciplinary action.

¶2There is no clear indication of willful fraud or oppression. Resort was had to the real property to liquidate the estate; and, as pointed out by counsel, if the reasonable value of the property, set at $1,500, be considered corpus receipts for the purpose of fixing corpus commissions, the allowance claimed would not exceed 9% of the quantum of the estate. See N. J. S. 3A:10-3; also N. J. S. 3A:10-3.1; 3A:10-3.2. No formal accounting was had; and the absence of prior judicial approval does not preclude the award of reasonable *217compensation for the service. There is no occasion now to determine the full extent of the right to compensation, and the reasonableness of the charges made. The controversy is cognizable and the grievance remediable by civil process. See Bolte v. Rainville, 138 N. J. Eq. 508 (E. & A. 1946). The issue is not one for summary disposition in a disciplinary proceeding. It suffices now to say that in the particular circumstances the service charges are not so clearly unreasonable and disproportionate as to suggest oppression or bad faith. See In re Frakel, 20 N. J. 588 (1956).

¶3And I find no violation of section 6 of the Canons of Ethics, forbidding professional representation of conflicting interests, save by the “express consent” of “all concerned,” given after a “full disclosure” of the facts. The complainant knew the respondent was providing the money to finance the transfer of the real estate; and there is no evidence of hardship, oppression, or abuse of the confidential relationship. She makes no complaint on this score.

¶4But there was an admitted transgression of section 11 of the Canons of Ethics, barring the lawyer’s commingling of trust funds with his own; yet it is not shown that this was done for respondent’s own use, or that the trust funds were in fact so used. There was no loss to the estate.

¶5It would seem that a suspension of six months would be adequate in the circumstances, if necessary at all in view of the prior suspension from practice. The transactions here under review antedated the proceeding resulting in the suspension.

¶6Oliphant, J., joins in this opinion.

¶7For suspension for one year — Chief Justice Vanderbilt, and Justices Wacheneeld, Burling, Jacobs and Brennan —5.

¶8For suspension for six months — Justices Heher and Oliphant — 2.

/22/nj/212 · .json · Public domain