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SCR 3.130(1.15) Safekeeping property

Baldwin's Kentucky Revised Statutes AnnotatedRules of the Supreme CourtEffective: April 1, 2022

Baldwin's Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated
Rules of the Supreme Court
III Practice of Law (Refs & Annos)
Kentucky Rules of Professional Conduct
Effective: April 1, 2022
Rules of the Supreme Court (SCR) Rule 3.130, Rules of Prof. Conduct Rule 3.130(1.15)
SCR 3.130(1.15) Safekeeping property
Currentness
(a) A lawyer shall hold property of clients or third persons that is in a lawyer's possession in connection with a representation separate from the lawyer's own property. Funds shall be kept in a separate account maintained in the state where the lawyer's office is situated, or elsewhere with the consent of the client, third person, or both in the event of a claim by each to the property. The separate account referred to in the preceding sentence shall be maintained in a bank which has agreed to notify the Kentucky Bar Association in the event that any overdraft occurs in the account. Other property shall be identified as such and appropriately safeguarded. Complete records of such account funds and other property shall be kept by the lawyer and shall be preserved for a period of five years after termination of the representation.
(b) Upon receiving funds or other property in which a client has an interest, a lawyer shall promptly notify the client. Except as stated in this Rule or otherwise permitted by law or by agreement with the client a lawyer shall promptly deliver to the client any funds or other property that the client is entitled to receive and, upon request by the client, shall promptly render a full accounting regarding such property.
(c) When in the course of representation a lawyer is in possession of funds or other property in which the lawyer and client claim interests and are not in agreement regarding those interests, the funds or other property in dispute shall be kept separate by the lawyer until the dispute is resolved. The lawyer shall promptly distribute all portions of the funds or other property in which the interests are not in conflict.
(d) A lawyer may deposit the lawyer's own funds in a client trust account for the sole purpose of paying bank service charges on that account, but only in an amount necessary for that purpose.
(e) Except for advance fees as provided in 1.5(f), a lawyer shall deposit into a client trust account legal fees and expenses that have been paid in advance, to be withdrawn by the lawyer only as fees are earned or expenses incurred.

Credits

HISTORY: Amended by Order 2017-18, eff. 1-1-18; prior amendments eff. 1-1-14 (Order 2013-12), 7-15-09 (Order 2009-05), 10-1-98 (Order 98-1); adopted by Order 89-1, eff. 1-1-90
Note: Former Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAP) were amended and redesignated as Rules of the Supreme Court (SCR) by Order of the Supreme Court effective January 1, 1978. Prior Rules of the Court of Appeals (RCA) had been redesignated as Rules of Appellate Procedure effective March 12, 1976.
Sup. Ct. Rules, Rule 3.130, Rules of Prof. Conduct, Rule 3.130(1.15), KY ST S CT RULE 3.130, RPC Rule 3.130(1.15)
Current with amendments received through March 1, 2024. Some sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document