New Jersey

Lawyer disbarred for charging 88-year-old widow an ‘utterly excessive’ fee

The New Jersey Supreme Court has disbarred a lawyer for charging an elderly client about $120,000 in a case where an expert witness said he would have charged no more than $15,500.

Nov 4, 2019 10:20 AM CST

Prosecutors tossed from drug case after witness is used to record defense lawyer

A New Jersey appeals court has tossed prosecutors from a drug case because detectives wired a witness and sent him to record the criminal defense lawyer who had requested a pretrial interview.

Nov 1, 2019 11:33 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer accused of shaking down clients; Taco Bell sued over advertised price

Lawyer accused of shaking down Colombian clients through false promises A Texas lawyer who markets himself as the “DWI Dude” is on trial for allegedly shaking down three Colombian clients by promising them freedom in exchange for about $1.5 million in fees. The lawyer, 62-year-old Jamie Balagia, maintains that he…

Oct 21, 2019 4:11 PM CDT

Longtime municipal judge is charged with grabbing woman’s breasts at his law office

A municipal court judge in New Jersey has been charged with fourth-degree sexual contact for allegedly grabbing a woman’s breasts when she was at his law office.

Sep 16, 2019 4:43 PM CDT

Lawyer reprimanded for discriminatory statements about Chinese optometrist

A New Jersey lawyer was reprimanded Friday for demeaning and discriminatory statements about the Chinese culture in a letter to a medical malpractice defendant.

Sep 9, 2019 10:36 AM CDT

3rd Circuit says lawyer isn’t liable for alleged malpractice of husband who listed partnership on letterhead

A legal malpractice plaintiff can’t hold a lawyer liable for her husband’s legal work when the plaintiff didn’t rely on representations that the lawyers were practicing together, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. In a 2-1 nonprecedential opinion, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Philadelphia affirmed summary judgment…

Aug 23, 2019 12:54 PM CDT

Judge told woman her nude photos should be sent only to Hugh Hefner, ethics complaint says

A New Jersey judge has issued an apology for courtroom remarks about a “knucklehead” husband, his girlfriend’s suggestive photos and his wife’s failure to file for divorce. Judge Alberto Rivas of Middlesex County said in a statement released with ethics charges against him that he felt the justice system was…

Aug 19, 2019 11:55 AM CDT

Former paralegal at US attorney’s office accused of using prosecutor info to expose informants

A paralegal in the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey has been indicted for allegedly using government information to identify informants and help her gang member son. Tawanna Hilliard of Brooklyn pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that include witness tampering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy, NJ.com reports. She was…

Aug 16, 2019 2:29 PM CDT

State orders training for judges after rape comment controversies; ‘good family’ judge resigns

Judges throughout New Jersey will undergo enhanced training following media coverage of controversial remarks made by judges in sexual assault cases. The mandatory training will focus on sexual assault, domestic violence, implicit bias and diversity, according to a press release by Glen Grant, acting administrative director of New Jersey courts.…

Jul 18, 2019 1:30 PM CDT

Judge tells mom of sexual assault victim to keep her mouth shut and sit down

A New Jersey judge told the mother of a sexual assault victim to “keep your mouth shut, sit down” after she made noise in the back of the courtroom and objected to delays in the case. NJ Advance Media has the story, along with the courtroom recording of the exchange…

Jul 16, 2019 2:00 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Bar associations battle over trademark; New Jersey judge rebuked over rape case

• Even though the Association of Trial Lawyers of America changed its name to the American Association for Justice in 2006, the Washington, D.C.-based bar association is suing the California-based Association of American Trial Lawyers for trademark infringement and unfair competition. The suit says the American Association for Justice sent…

Jul 3, 2019 4:27 PM CDT

More suits ahead after Honduran immigrant’s $125K settlement for mistreatment in border detention

A group that helped represent a Honduran immigrant who received a $125,000 settlement for mistreatment in border detention facilities says the victory has led to plans for more lawsuits. Suny Rodriguez Alvarado sued under the Federal Tort Claims Act for mistreatment of her son and herself. Her suit, filed in…

Jun 18, 2019 2:33 PM CDT

In states where inmates can vote, few exercise their right to cast ballots

When Sen. Bernie Sanders championed voting rights for prisoners during a CNN town hall, he spotlighted an intensifying national debate about why going to prison means losing the right to vote.

Jun 14, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Lawyer admonished after he’s caught on mic saying he has prosecutor in his pocket

The New Jersey Supreme Court has admonished a lawyer who was caught and recorded on a courtroom microphone saying he has the prosecutor “in my pocket.”

Jun 5, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Lawyer disbarred for abandoning clients after moving across the country to ‘play jazz’

A New Jersey lawyer has been disbarred for dropping work on two bankruptcy cases, vanishing from New Jersey and keeping retainers of $1,500 and $1,410. One of the clients learned that lawyer James Peter Byrne had moved through the lawyer’s Facebook page, according to a report by the New Jersey…

May 2, 2019 1:52 PM CDT