Ethics Opinions

Representation of School Board and Criminal Defendant

 

Opinion rules that a lawyer who represents a criminal defendant whose possession property was seized may not without consent seek the property as a fine or forfeiture on behalf of the local School Board.

 

Inquiry:

 

Attorney A represents the County Board of Education. Under the terms of G. S. 115C-452 all fines, forfeitures and penalties collected by the General Court of Justice sitting in the county are ultimately paid to local schools. For that reason, it is Attorney A's responsibility to participate in discussions and proceedings relative to fines and forfeitures involving criminal clients in the district and superior courts.

 

Attorney A also represents criminal clients who, from time to time, are ordered to pay fines, or whose bonds are called and forfeitures are entered.

 

Attorney A presently represents a criminal client who has been charged in the local Superior Court with trafficking in drugs. Incident to the criminal investigation, the client's home was searched and a large quantity of cash was seized. The money was turned over to federal authorities and held by those federal authorities until the case was tried. The client has consistently denied knowledge of or interest in the money. The client was found guilty by a jury and gave notice to appeal, which appeal is presently pending. After the trial the money confiscated during the search was turned over to the local sheriff.

 

May Attorney A, on behalf of the County Board of Education, request that the confiscated money be turned over to the County Board of Education?

 

Opinion:

 

No, not without the consent of the criminal client. Since it appears that the criminal client, though currently denying any interest in the fund, could have a claim superior to any known party in the event her conviction is overturned and she is ultimately acquitted, Attorney A would be representing an interest in direct conflict were he to initiate formal or informal proceedings directed toward reducing the money in question to the possession of the local Board of Education. However, since the criminal client has consistently maintained that she has no interest in the fund, it would not be inappropriate for Attorney A to seek her consent to his representation of the Board of Education in pursuit of the fund so long as he fully disclosed to her all material facts relating to the matter.