Appraiser
Defense.com
Ted Whitmer,
MAI CCIM Attorney
Background
• About Ted Whitmer
• Services
–Legal: Defend Appraisers
–Consulting: Assist Attorneys
–Review: Act as Expert
Witness
The Complaint
Process
• Who Complains?
–Dodd Frank
–Others – TDI, home owner,
attorney, etc.
–Board Initiated – Experience, other
complaint, testimony in court case,
etc.
The Complaint
Process
• Steps
–Complaint
–Answer
–Dismissal or Informal Conference
–Agreed Order, Dismissal or SOAH
The Complaint
Process
• Common Mistakes in an
Answer
–Failing to Respond
–Too little information
–Too much information
–Misunderstanding Record Keeping
Do You Need
Representation?
• Greater than 50% of cases are
dismissed
• Many cases are lost on the answer
• I will use a lawyer if there is a
complaint file on me
What I Offer
• Three Levels of Service through
Informal conference
–A Do-it-yourself kit to answer a
complaint
–Above + will look over the answer
–Legal Representation: All of the above
+ will represent you through either
dismissal, Agreed Order, or Informal
Conference.
What I Offer
• The fourth level of
representation is not listed in
the previous three – I will
represent you in a State
Office of Administrative
Hearing case (SOAH) if there
is no settlement.
What Do You
Need to Do Now?
• First: Contact an attorney
• Second: Contact your
insurance company
• Third: Get an extension or
timely answer the complaint
Videos Included in Services
• Answering a
complaint
• Overview of the
Process
• Overview of Laws &
Regulations
• Workfile: What is it?
• Preparing for an
Informal Conference
• Better Practices 1:
Avoiding Trouble
• Better Practices 2:
Avoiding Trouble
• Agreed Order:
Ramifications
• Being a Better Witness
• Overview of SOAH
• Discovery in SOAH
• Mediation in SOAH
Contact Information
• Ted Whitmer
• 2508 Merrimac Ct
• College Station, TX 77845
• Phone: 979.690.9465
• Email: ted@tedwhitmer.com