Trial of Miami PI Lawyer Gets Under Way
Attorneys for a Miami mass-torts lawyer going on trial for stealing client money want to question potential jurors about their views on personal injury lawyers.
Jury selection in the trial of asbestos lawyer Louis Robles gets under way tomorrow, the Daily Business Review reports. Robles was willing to accept a plea deal that called for a 10-year-sentence, but U.S. District Judge Alan Gold refused to accept it.
Robles is accused of taking $13.5 million in client trust money and using it to pay for business ventures, two apartments and two homes, ABAJournal.com reported in an earlier post. Prosecutors plan to introduce evidence of Robles’ lavish lifestyle.
“There are a lot of negative stereotypes about personal injury attorneys,” one proposed question reads. “What effect, if any, do you think this information will have on your ability to impartially evaluate the government’s evidence concerning Mr. Robles?”
Another question says, “Do you think there are too many lawsuits in the U.S.? Why?”