Tuesday, December 22, 2009

More, more, more sanctions from the Mississippi Bar

As part of JJ's half-baked commitment to public service, here is yet another installment in our publication of lawyer disciplinary actions that are published in the Mississippi Lawyer, the Mississippi Bar's quarterly mouthpiece. There are from the November/December 2008 issue:

Dickie Scruggs, Zach Scruggs, Sidney Backstrom: Disbarred for life. Do I need to explain these disbarments?

James G. McIntyre of Jackson: Disbarment. Bounced checks on Lawyer Trust account and used it to pay off personal obligations for over four years. The sanction mentions McIntyre's "extensive disciplinary history": one private reprimand, four informal admonitions, and one one-year suspension.

Neal H. Labovitz of Southaven: Public Reprimand. Allowed a Tennessee lawyer to "participate" on his behalf in a Desoto County case despite never being admitted to "practice pro hac vice". The bar called it an "unauthorized practice of law".

The Attorney with No Name: Private Reprimand. Client paid shyster $2,000 to review his file post-conviction. Shyster agreed to refund money if there was "little or no chance of success". Attorney blew off client after he got money and didn't speak to him. The attorney claimed that his files were destroyed in a fire and that he meant to refund the unearned fees. Of course he did. The shyster also blew off the Bar and didn't respond to the complaint.

The Attorney with No Name: Private Reprimand. Client paid shyster $5,000 to reverse a "wrongful foreclosure" and seek damages against the lender. Shyster reversed the foreclosure but didn't contact client afterwards about the lawsuit against the lender. Shyster was suspended from the Bar. Shyster gave case to another lawyer but didn't tell client and didn't get his consent to do so. Shyster also failed to tell client about settlement offer.

The Attorney with No Name: Private Reprimand. Client hired lawyer for an uncontested divorce. Shyster didn't do anything for two months. Attorney wasn't prepared for case when it appeared in court and didn't have file with her at the hearing. Attorney said she "had a difficult time with obtaining and retaining secretarial personnel" and get this, she "inadvertently" scheduled the case on the same day she had a hearing in a contested divorce matter and that her focus on the contested case was the cause for her not having the case file for the Client's case. Um, isn't this the sort of thing that should be public?

The Attorney with No Name: Private Reprimand. Client paid shyster $700 to resolve an "outstanding misdemeanor charge. Charge was dismissed by court a year before but judge needed to sign dismissal order. Lawyer then blew off client. Misdemeanor charge still unresolved. Shyster blew off the Bar and didn't respond to the Bar Complaint. Shyster didn't attend the hearing either. Why should he if he was going to get only a private reprimand. Another example of why the Bar should suspend a lawyer for sixty days automatically for not answering bar complaints or skipping hearings.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

All of these "Private Reprimands" should be public. The public should know about someone's work history before deciding to do business with them. It'll never happen here though.

Anonymous said...

Well, if the reprimands were public, we would have fewer lawyers. I'm all for it.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if this will lead to a "private reprimand" from the Tennesee Bar: ;-)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/21/2009-12-21_tennessee_lawyer_mark_lambert_bites_off_part_of_greg_herbers_nose_during_fight_o.html

The comments are a hoot!

Anonymous said...

It took the Judicial folks to zap Pittman Jr. after the Bar dismissed the initial complaint against him. The one where he went to the jail to solicit the representation of the defendant who's arrest warrant he signed as a judge after which Pittman then presided over the guy's initial appearance and set his bond.

Anonymous said...

huh...?

Champaign Roster said...

You provided a great service by posting this lawyer discipline from 2009 but now you are 6 years behind. It would be great if you would post all this material.



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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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