Legal Liability of Certified Public Accountants
CHAPTER 4
Legal Liability
Of CPAs
Review Questions
4-1 There are several reasons why the potential legal liability of CPAs for professional "malpractice" exceeds that of physicians and other professionals. One reason is the vast number of people who may sustain damages. If a physician or attorney commits a serious error, the number of injured parties generally is limited to one individual patient or client. When a CPA's report is in error, literally millions of investors may sustain losses. Second, the federal Securities Acts regarding CPAs' liability are unique in that much of the burden of proof is shifted to the defendant. Normally, defendants are "presumed innocent until proven guilty." Under the federal Securities Acts, however, CPAs charged with "malpractice" must prove their innocence. Finally, when investors sustain losses in the many millions of dollars, the economics of the situation dictates bringing suit against the CPAs even if the prospects for recovery appear remote. When the possible dollar recovery is smaller, which usually is the case in other professional malpractice suits, the plaintiffs are more likely to be deterred from filing suit simply by the costs of litigation.
4-2 Ordinary negligence means lack of reasonable care. Gross negligence means lack of even slight care, indicative of reckless disregard for duty. An oversight by a CPA resulting in a misstatement in a financial statement might be considered ordinary negligence, whereas if a CPA failed substantially to comply with generally accepted auditing standards the charge might be gross negligence.
4-3 Privity is the relationship between parties to a contract. A CPA firm is in privity with the client which it is serving, as well as with any third party beneficiary, such as a creditor bank named in the engagement letter (the contract between the CPA firm and its client). Under common law, if the auditors do not comply with
Legal Liability
Of CPAs
Review Questions
4-1 There are several reasons why the potential legal liability of CPAs for professional "malpractice" exceeds that of physicians and other professionals. One reason is the vast number of people who may sustain damages. If a physician or attorney commits a serious error, the number of injured parties generally is limited to one individual patient or client. When a CPA's report is in error, literally millions of investors may sustain losses. Second, the federal Securities Acts regarding CPAs' liability are unique in that much of the burden of proof is shifted to the defendant. Normally, defendants are "presumed innocent until proven guilty." Under the federal Securities Acts, however, CPAs charged with "malpractice" must prove their innocence. Finally, when investors sustain losses in the many millions of dollars, the economics of the situation dictates bringing suit against the CPAs even if the prospects for recovery appear remote. When the possible dollar recovery is smaller, which usually is the case in other professional malpractice suits, the plaintiffs are more likely to be deterred from filing suit simply by the costs of litigation.
4-2 Ordinary negligence means lack of reasonable care. Gross negligence means lack of even slight care, indicative of reckless disregard for duty. An oversight by a CPA resulting in a misstatement in a financial statement might be considered ordinary negligence, whereas if a CPA failed substantially to comply with generally accepted auditing standards the charge might be gross negligence.
4-3 Privity is the relationship between parties to a contract. A CPA firm is in privity with the client which it is serving, as well as with any third party beneficiary, such as a creditor bank named in the engagement letter (the contract between the CPA firm and its client). Under common law, if the auditors do not comply with