Federal Judge Issues Arrest Warrant for Well-Known Defense Lawyer, a No-Show for Client's Trial
Yesterday, when Florida attorney Michael D. Walsh didn’t show up to represent the alleged ringleader in a Fort Lauderdale mortgage fraud trial, a federal judge scheduled a show-cause hearing today to consider whether he should be held in contempt.
Today, when the well-known criminal defense attorney didn’t appear at the hearing, U.S. District Judge James Cohn issued a contempt order and signed a warrant for Walsh’s arrest, reports the Miami Herald.
Walsh was to represent Joseph Guaracino in a mortgage fraud trial in which a local real estate attorney, Steven Stoll, who owned a title company is also a defendant. Another defendant lawyer, Stephen Orchard of Boca Raton, took a plea that will allow him to enter a pretrial diversion program and be sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Other co-defendants were tried earlier, and a number were acquitted.
Prior coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “7 Cops, 2 Lawyers & 1 FBI Agent Charged in Claimed $16M Mortgage Fraud”
