tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76568401009579388502024-03-05T10:15:35.099-08:00Independence of Representation in Court and Judicial Accountability in the United StatesTatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.comBlogger1934125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-934201061122686732023-12-17T07:27:00.000-08:002023-12-17T07:32:30.278-08:00Attorney Gerard N Misk of Ginsburg & Misk has made a great "advertising" for himself and his law firm by having a lawsuit dismissed against him an embarrassing issue by two "former" attornets, one not even s native speaker of English. Good job, Mr Misk! <div>This is an update to my blog of December 9, 2023 about the interesting phenomenon of an attorney who - well, read, what he was doing.</div><div><br /></div><div>And here is the result of his actions.</div><div><br /></div>It happens, it happens.<div><br /></div><div>The one who bad-mouths you in court the most - instead of learning, following and presenting to the court the governing law and solid evidence, had his rear end handed back to him by the judge on Friday, December 15, 2023, when the judge has dismissed the case against me and my husband, a (politically) suspended and a (politically) disbarred attorney.</div><div><br /></div><div>The lawsuit was stupid to begin with - a purported corporation attempted to allege a so-called easement through our property.</div><div><br /></div><div>I will not go into more details while the said corporation is rearranging its ruffled feathers and preparing - maybe - to sue us once again.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder though whether the badmouthing Mr Misk will be there for the second lawsuit after so epically failing the first one. I have a funny feeling that he charged his purported client an arm and a leg for his shenanigans (the purported client is the nasty woman Stephanie Carter Shaake Halberian of Delhi, NY, of the Blue Bee Cafe who has ratified, in writing, my abuse by Mr Misk in writing).</div><div><br /></div><div>The fun part about her little "ratification" is that we, to a certain degree, gave a present to the sorry "attorney" Misk who can't tell the governing law and competent evidence from rumors, opinions, positions and beliefs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now the nasty woman Stephanie Carter will be unable to even sue the sorry excuse of an "attorney" Gerard N Misk (32 years of experience in law practice, mind) for his theatrical performances before the court instead of doing his job and arranging the service of the lawsuit on us in our state the way the law spelled it out for him in detail how to do.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, attorney Misk does not read the law, considering it petty "ceremony", "games", and simply not available to us - that is what he was arguing to the court in writing, under the penalty of perjury - because we were stripped by the State of NY for being too good of litigators against the State of NY. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was not there at the hearing, Misk did cause a very precarious situation with my health, but we still made our motions on submitted basis, the hearing, with Mr Misk appearing, happened, some of my friends appeared virtually as members of the public, for support and gave me their accounts.</div><div><br /></div><div>The written decision will be published as soon as it is produced by the court.</div><div><br /></div><div>Later I will publish the transcript of the hearing when I purchase it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The "Misk fiasco" against 2, as he kept saying, "former attorneys" who were not even present at the hearing to oppose him clearly shows to the public that a law license has nothing to do with litigation skills or integrity of the lawyer.</div><div><br /></div><div>BTW, Misk invented a word I will borrow for future use, how to term us since, by law, a disbarred attorney is not an attorney, and a suspended attorney is an attorney in the view of the regulator, but is not in the view of the criminal law.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mr Misk just called us "experienced litigators" - but still did not prepare for a vigorous and well-researched opposition, firmly believing that "the system" will never let us win, no matter what.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet, there happened a judge who simply applied the law - could not believe it, did not hope for it, but it happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>The judge has dismissed the action, because Mr Misk could not arrange for service of the summons and Complaint of two sitting-duck elderly defendants whose addressm on an unfenced property on a public road in South Carolina was known to the nasty woman Stephanie Carter Halberian for 8 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>A profound waste of the purported client's, the court's, and our own time and resources.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-73650370294142704322023-12-11T12:20:00.000-08:002023-12-11T12:41:45.009-08:00The tribal Delaware County (NY) and its County Atty Amy Merklen have finally had their comeuppance in a federal lawsuit against them, asking for actual and punitive damages against many public officials INDIVDIUALLY<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> A federal lawsuit has been filed against Delaware County, NY by a local newspaper represented by a powerful legal team, Cornell Law School 1st Amendment Clinic and Albany's legal giant Greenberg & Traurig, for restricting - surprise! - access of journalists to the county employees for news about issues of public concern ("the gag directive").</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">You may read the text of the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IbxKLiCkC4FKJtfSbWr1cY_jjvx91-8T/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Complaint</a> here - highly recommend to read it all, very informative.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have written extensively on this blog about the retaliative practices of Delaware County and its various public officials, against me, as a citizen journalist (legal blogger).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I am Exhibit 1 of the exact same type of retaliation sued for in the current federal lawsuit - so I am considering an intervention into the lawsuit.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I also have personal knowledge that Merklen is controlling with her illegal "gag directive" interaction of the Delaware County Clerk's office - over the heads of judges presiding in specific cases - with pro se litigants.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">That is in regards to records in court cases, since Delaware County Clerk's office is the official custodian of such records, has a duty to transfer certain records to the Appellate Division on appeals, fails to do it timely, therefore, stalls appeals against people the County officials hate (like me and my husband), and refuses to talk about their activities with us sending us to discuss anything about our own court case and records there to Merklen (obviously in accordance with her sued-upon "gag directive").</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">What was hilarious was that the Delaware County Clerk's office has directed us, after talking to Merklen's office, to file FOIL requests to receive copies of our own court file.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Not Judiciary Law 255 requests, mind, but FOIL requests. Merklen is completely out of her mind - was never known for competence anyway, which is a valuable, if not the main quality for selection of a Delaware County employee: you must be loyal, stupid, incompetent and immoral, otherwise you won't be able to function and preserve your health in that employment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, when people are stupid, they fail to be aware of their own illegal activities - especially when such activities were condoned for too long.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">So - enjoy your reading.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">And, <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-leak-from-delaware-county-dss-tells.html" target="_blank">here is a link to my previous blog about Merklen</a>, just for you to understand the background of the author of the illegal "gag directive".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">BTW - the beauty of the lawsuit is that it is very well researched, backed up with evidence, represented by a powerful legal team, and is asking for ACTUAL damages against all defendants INDIVIDUALLY, as well as PUNITIVE damages and ATTORNEY FEES - which, in the case of Greenberg & Traurig, may be very, very substantial.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">And, the insurance policy of Delaware County has an EXCEPTION for coverage of intentional misconduct of county employees, so they will have to pay whatever is agaist them, out of their own pocket, which is very sweet, finally.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-12892985365870641332023-12-09T08:49:00.000-08:002023-12-09T12:25:06.271-08:00A call for public attendance of an online court hearing to see why you can't get an honest and competent attorney to represent you in criminal, family state court and in civil rights cases: because attorneys are afraid to be dehumanized this way if the state who they sue too well takes their law licenses<p><span style="font-size: x-large;">People who would want to see a court hearing where a New York attorney Gerard N Misk of Ginsburg & Misk LLP will be arguing to the court that the loss of a law license (on political grounds in our case) must lead to a complete loss of a right to defend yourself in a property dispute, please, send me your emails by messenger or whatsup 1 843 240 7745.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Literally, attorney Misk has asked the court to deem all legal arguments coming from us, individuals with the collective experience of near a 1/2 century of practicing law, as bogus, and any evidence coming from us "incompetent", including public records, medical records, affidavits of us as witnesses and authenticators of photographic evidence made by us on our phones, and affidavits of our family members and a neighbor.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">All because the State of New York was too afraid to keep us in practice because we litigated against the government for the people, including pro Bono, too well.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is the "hero", attorney Misk, attempting to litigate outside of the area in which he "concentrates" in his law firm (easement dispute):</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMBpkVFu3scgQtn_fnaEqYf31tCJ02u216DPw_yA7Brw9PG7E5pczV1I9vfweXTMinZkk1vf4xsRpPyBTe2NLuuGOlhDyUc4wkAJEYGzdq50a0k11SS3prxqoinNNN8qIVMqqK9eTYGYN2Zu-796WtqZyU5Zx4Re_36NU4wfrZuFjCmB8kz1CAuDbH4o/s3689/Gerard%20Misk%203.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="3689" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMBpkVFu3scgQtn_fnaEqYf31tCJ02u216DPw_yA7Brw9PG7E5pczV1I9vfweXTMinZkk1vf4xsRpPyBTe2NLuuGOlhDyUc4wkAJEYGzdq50a0k11SS3prxqoinNNN8qIVMqqK9eTYGYN2Zu-796WtqZyU5Zx4Re_36NU4wfrZuFjCmB8kz1CAuDbH4o/w641-h151/Gerard%20Misk%203.PNG" width="641" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmm_3Ox9SajMXxg_uR0EqoCeD7G_a3v3u3GeYDz4nbNdDk9uQj6cTUHo5pxhsmxBlltXvzQJkVKubbqMKbZWMLQTdPbM-wPKvVGnpCboFdqt7Db-1BkUZPG-ZVafo04yqO7vPIB7HhI0nMUoDxiwdS_-poiwtF3N1b-xChnfwWFpJrpwB-snGQvr9UHxA/s1504/Gerard%20Misk%202.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="920" height="753" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmm_3Ox9SajMXxg_uR0EqoCeD7G_a3v3u3GeYDz4nbNdDk9uQj6cTUHo5pxhsmxBlltXvzQJkVKubbqMKbZWMLQTdPbM-wPKvVGnpCboFdqt7Db-1BkUZPG-ZVafo04yqO7vPIB7HhI0nMUoDxiwdS_-poiwtF3N1b-xChnfwWFpJrpwB-snGQvr9UHxA/w461-h753/Gerard%20Misk%202.PNG" width="461" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And here is what this "hero" submits to the court:</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn0wLqjMnlusceX6prquVxNP3Kz6lmQv0Y8bT9oE9q0xD3u147gcvnGJH5e2Pzpp6LHADEccxwWuujCvFFWQIhIzJ9nB2zr1NdGcz4Xz47VwKm5tLazk0LxYgLaG3plzcFXycldVrAT6VA4WqIZ3hMvLZJTGLXC3L4koWebSp6miGkn5m5u7jB8AdLPM/s1935/Misk%20incompetent2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1935" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn0wLqjMnlusceX6prquVxNP3Kz6lmQv0Y8bT9oE9q0xD3u147gcvnGJH5e2Pzpp6LHADEccxwWuujCvFFWQIhIzJ9nB2zr1NdGcz4Xz47VwKm5tLazk0LxYgLaG3plzcFXycldVrAT6VA4WqIZ3hMvLZJTGLXC3L4koWebSp6miGkn5m5u7jB8AdLPM/w525-h366/Misk%20incompetent2.PNG" width="525" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mind that he is asking the court to deep all of our evidence incompetent because he has failed to rebut it and is deemed to have admitted it on behalf of his alleged client.</span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">But that is not all.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">In the next paragraph, this "hero" mocks our disabilities in clear violation of the <a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/rules/jointappellate/1200-20a.pdf">Joint Order of Appellate Divisions of 2020 on Lawyer Civility</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2_uvZKZ8J1UdKDDnsOsI7M_VvM2_1ksXAs0PSPwa3Zm3oKLqvAde8ojW0qvtLsNtjODclq1AA9cGySFM5tZDbpA0vznoOkp7pODvBtGlhlfuQeSoajAj3_3pmpMKUXjaeGNleRmHaY28mGCY0UCrKV0JUUg8pUG0YJYlyvkuJE5X-ztSwTU46dbBTPc/s2031/misk%20sleep%20deprived%20highlighted.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2031" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2_uvZKZ8J1UdKDDnsOsI7M_VvM2_1ksXAs0PSPwa3Zm3oKLqvAde8ojW0qvtLsNtjODclq1AA9cGySFM5tZDbpA0vznoOkp7pODvBtGlhlfuQeSoajAj3_3pmpMKUXjaeGNleRmHaY28mGCY0UCrKV0JUUg8pUG0YJYlyvkuJE5X-ztSwTU46dbBTPc/w560-h329/misk%20sleep%20deprived%20highlighted.PNG" width="560" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Attorney Misk talks in this manner about a 76-old man, my husband, who has practiced law in Delhi, NY for 37 years and whose law office was open 24/7 for free consultations to the public.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">He was disbarred based on fraudulent lawsuit of former Supreme Court Justice and Chief Judge of the 6th Judicial District Robert Harlem and his son and attorney Richard Harlem, of which one of the claimed Plaintiffs in the case allegedly represented by these two fraudsters (one dead by now) has sent to us an affidavit after the case has concluded and after my husband was disbarred.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here it is:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgq3G0dLi05LAFnBNA1CJ7s5v29u_l5YmfhddSLxSzUXtZpLh7MQtdWZ6jMBbtL6Ipb2mysQcQLSTDOTSH6GAicR6FrImQyvtKM0ZS1oGtkzsauSSN8XOhml1zTo1Vk2RINzHOl9fHnp5FIKyi3_NUfmOJMzixLMobwpzqQXp2rUCpsD05Dc19JbAEfaY/s2215/SmartSelect_20231209_134917_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="1698" height="752" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgq3G0dLi05LAFnBNA1CJ7s5v29u_l5YmfhddSLxSzUXtZpLh7MQtdWZ6jMBbtL6Ipb2mysQcQLSTDOTSH6GAicR6FrImQyvtKM0ZS1oGtkzsauSSN8XOhml1zTo1Vk2RINzHOl9fHnp5FIKyi3_NUfmOJMzixLMobwpzqQXp2rUCpsD05Dc19JbAEfaY/w576-h752/SmartSelect_20231209_134917_Word.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATIVUw7LOJj8FsCIEpo_c9eOj8t-JEMNDyHgUbDvG5uI3KOHEV2rCQOgs24LuYEXjRQL1x356_1o5lxUsPOi3mVguMd-OJ1c1JppiFXXcBvhHG-VYWSlbolApD0gmd6ioToE4MXViwGOHHKwnoUE7wtSe6Nje5Ir7aJcK3aKv6EWJhMEMjMnnBfKPrBE/s2215/SmartSelect_20231209_134929_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="1640" height="689" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATIVUw7LOJj8FsCIEpo_c9eOj8t-JEMNDyHgUbDvG5uI3KOHEV2rCQOgs24LuYEXjRQL1x356_1o5lxUsPOi3mVguMd-OJ1c1JppiFXXcBvhHG-VYWSlbolApD0gmd6ioToE4MXViwGOHHKwnoUE7wtSe6Nje5Ir7aJcK3aKv6EWJhMEMjMnnBfKPrBE/w510-h689/SmartSelect_20231209_134929_Word.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is apparent that, considering that the Harlems have rented, for decades, an office space to a recently retired local State Senator, simply removed - by fraud - a successful competitor (my husband) from the market.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">That my husband was also a pro bono source of legal advice for poor people of several local upstate poor counties, did not concern the fraudsters one bit.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">We have received this affidavit in November of 2015. Within days of receipt of that affidavit, I was suspended, after repeatedly refusing demands of certain high-power individuals to divorce my husband and thus expose his assets to being robbed - or else.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Or else happened, and we simply left the State of New York and now live quietly in South Carolina.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">But now - tada! - every punk coming out of the woodwork who does not know us or about us - like Mr. Misk - consider it their sacred duty to kick us claiming that anything coming from us is frivolous, vexatious and incompetent, simply because the State of New York considered us too dangerous for the New York State government to remain in practice.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And, that punk considers that he can kick us even FOR our disabilities - multiple after COVID and due to our respective ages and stress we went through, representing our clients in good faith and to the best of our collective abilities.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is WHO he is insulting as faking his disability and for what (and, mind, these documents have been submitted to the court and to Mr. Misk's attention and are available for public viewing on NYSCEF, guest search, see case # above. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Any document in this case is downloadable by anybody from any place on Earth with an Internet connection.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, here is who Mr. Misk is insulting, kicking and mocking for his allegedly "fake" disability:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORR1KFQI832hVHvFVx40VJbFHiZ8Na29TvRP8gKjfKq_p6-TfMDthiXrLEBFqarIN4FjHsPQrNO7all7GJR5KsqRiZ9a1vEK1eK9sYenksLwk1paYHDPe_RvhCRDnYaPQVNN36ddUgiXde8DV-sFYafxR4BSbWs98EX-GXrd5w_zRcDauoFFXB58f3Ec/s2415/SmartSelect_20231209_141504_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2415" data-original-width="1822" height="617" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORR1KFQI832hVHvFVx40VJbFHiZ8Na29TvRP8gKjfKq_p6-TfMDthiXrLEBFqarIN4FjHsPQrNO7all7GJR5KsqRiZ9a1vEK1eK9sYenksLwk1paYHDPe_RvhCRDnYaPQVNN36ddUgiXde8DV-sFYafxR4BSbWs98EX-GXrd5w_zRcDauoFFXB58f3Ec/w465-h617/SmartSelect_20231209_141504_Word.jpg" width="465" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is how he "walks", fighting cruel pain with every step, the man who has not only generously provided FREE legal consultations and often a free representation to the community in Delaware, Otsego, Chenango counties and to anybody who would call - for 37 years, the service that now is lost to the people. Look at his face - can you fake such a concentration to try to prevent un-preventable pain?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is one of the sources of his pain: the completely destroyed hip joint:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrqLHSMELZlfdJ_aU-yTN7MfsQ1yCaZVXYpv7lGMJL3E42wbPb1_ptm57oUxN_nktwI5wpXLVeNP_kXKxyyxIQ5u1FKC3Jiw53Uzh9gJ3CD3dchOT1JYZyeAWm30oEnpUwa4B0FKeH5Liv59glvxm25clt_jDdM_QVhLYLX1dv3eRtRqPTQQb792evGc/s2389/SmartSelect_20231209_140914_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2389" data-original-width="1844" height="705" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrqLHSMELZlfdJ_aU-yTN7MfsQ1yCaZVXYpv7lGMJL3E42wbPb1_ptm57oUxN_nktwI5wpXLVeNP_kXKxyyxIQ5u1FKC3Jiw53Uzh9gJ3CD3dchOT1JYZyeAWm30oEnpUwa4B0FKeH5Liv59glvxm25clt_jDdM_QVhLYLX1dv3eRtRqPTQQb792evGc/w544-h705/SmartSelect_20231209_140914_Word.jpg" width="544" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Note one side of the body having the round joint and the other not having it. This is the source of tremendous pain and inability to walk for him - Mr. Neroni could not walk outside the house for a YEAR! and is moving between floors only with the help of - thank God! - existing elevator.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is another source of his pain: two hernias with loops of intestines protruding into one of them</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9xS5M2R2sZiCr3UNK-scaGGJ7-vTzJxGWCQx2udJjEFR4YKgj5qv9pFXh5KuUL7FZuqYJ34eXZslY9nsN1ELMtpY4jAAd9Ha3uxhv0mcLBJfOvOmrgQKvKHxPZDlRa1JiAIxJv7pLq0O2W8cND_Sg3c9gh6xPSqcVY4bLLmlzqGEznQmzOpxOher_ng/s2420/Screenshot_20231209_141005_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="1833" height="599" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9xS5M2R2sZiCr3UNK-scaGGJ7-vTzJxGWCQx2udJjEFR4YKgj5qv9pFXh5KuUL7FZuqYJ34eXZslY9nsN1ELMtpY4jAAd9Ha3uxhv0mcLBJfOvOmrgQKvKHxPZDlRa1JiAIxJv7pLq0O2W8cND_Sg3c9gh6xPSqcVY4bLLmlzqGEznQmzOpxOher_ng/w453-h599/Screenshot_20231209_141005_Word.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhTZSRNgWpCOAVM6LAa2mvoUJLQToi8SjcMLtt4Uc0jrC5_PLZsPCerXJS9hUZIM-HTbD67VOiC1rU0_arEOi_UnWV2zsJjDo6ZHnK9al1b-RWtbG4yrZCvbtDfPnrnCyv8donSuB2UqRoVmjYk19NXnYBXOga70m4Nzg_wWTEO4XWiD8iueVkZm9k4o/s1652/Screenshot_20231209_141436_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1652" data-original-width="1275" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhTZSRNgWpCOAVM6LAa2mvoUJLQToi8SjcMLtt4Uc0jrC5_PLZsPCerXJS9hUZIM-HTbD67VOiC1rU0_arEOi_UnWV2zsJjDo6ZHnK9al1b-RWtbG4yrZCvbtDfPnrnCyv8donSuB2UqRoVmjYk19NXnYBXOga70m4Nzg_wWTEO4XWiD8iueVkZm9k4o/w489-h634/Screenshot_20231209_141436_Word.jpg" width="489" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Recognizing Mr. Neroni's restrictions on mobility, a licensed physician in the State of South Carolina has submitted on Mr. Neroni's behalf a certified statement of his disability and pain, </span><span style="font-size: xx-large;">and, based on that statement, the State of South Carolina has recognized Mr. Neroni as permanently disabled and gave him a placard for parking purposes for the maximum of 4 years that is given in South Carolina only for a permanent disability:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKm7L5HqogYp-DFYOQsteVoyvpN-T3vGPMJIPFj11EtYlZuyNOlIwscTI2rJYvZtfh5zcsW6svzyIzxI-gwFB9QDHvO9Ght0JtXXeVR5DRUxpTIf7XhbL3XBUW_vviAOsN8xytgc-ZqxdpTnHP_mdQDqsoo__RaWjBspOLzgzHnKgd4q0qQHimDqxc88/s2173/SmartSelect_20231209_140858_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2173" data-original-width="1847" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKm7L5HqogYp-DFYOQsteVoyvpN-T3vGPMJIPFj11EtYlZuyNOlIwscTI2rJYvZtfh5zcsW6svzyIzxI-gwFB9QDHvO9Ght0JtXXeVR5DRUxpTIf7XhbL3XBUW_vviAOsN8xytgc-ZqxdpTnHP_mdQDqsoo__RaWjBspOLzgzHnKgd4q0qQHimDqxc88/w460-h541/SmartSelect_20231209_140858_Word.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mr. Neroni, as a result of his disabilities, suffers cruel pains at night, including debilitating, long, relentless leg cramps. The only thing that helps relieve those cramps at least a little bit is a muscle spasm spray, but Mr. Neroni cannot reach where it hurts on his own, it is I who is applying the spray every night.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Naturally, after sleepless nights fill for Mr. Neroni with pain and sleep deprivation and for me with mental anguish for my husband and with sleep deprivation, too, which undermines my own - multiple - health conditions after COVID and due to my age of 60, we are unable to be coherent enough to attend court hearings, even virtual ones, and effectively representing ourselves.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">To understand what is at stake, Mr. Misk is suing us on behalf of - allegedly, he did not prove his authority to prosecute this lawsuit so far, in my legal opinion on my own behalf - a commercial corporation that claims to own the Stewart's Store in Delhi, NY, and that claims an alleged right to drive vehicles over our property. That's it. A property dispute.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Is a property dispute worth for the court system to TORTURE, literally, physically and mentally, TORTURE a disabled man over?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Apparently, it is.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mr. Misk, apparently, also thinks so.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Because being aware of all of medical problems of Mr. Neroni, he submitted the following response to Mr. Neroni's MINIMAL request to the court - to either move the virtual hearing to the afternoon from the early morning so that he could catch some sleep after his horrible nights, or, even better, to allow his motions to be heard on submitted basis, as IS THE DEFAULT PROCEDURE FOR EVERYBODY in Delaware County Supreme Court anyway.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is the response of Mr. Misk in which he asks the judge to DENY the reasonable accommodation to a severely disabled individual who is in pain based on that individual's complaint against the presiding Justice McBride saying this:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">QUOTE</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">_______</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><th align="right" nowrap="" valign="baseline"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Subject:</span></th><td style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="il">complaint</span> about misconduct and potential bribery of Justice Joseph A. <span class="il">McBride</span>, assigned justice, Delaware County Supreme Court, Berrian Inc. v. Frederick J. Neroni, Tatiana Neroni, EF 2023-322</span></td></tr><tr><th align="right" nowrap="" valign="baseline"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Date:</span></th><td style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">2023-09-24 21:51</span></td></tr><tr><th align="right" nowrap="" valign="baseline"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From:</span></th><td style="margin: 0px;"><a href="mailto:nf@catskill.net" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">nf@catskill.net</span></a></td></tr><tr><th align="right" nowrap="" valign="baseline"><span style="font-size: x-large;">To:</span></th><td style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="mailto:cjc@cjc.ny.gov" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">cjc@cjc.ny.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:6jd-res@nycourts.gov" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">6jd-res@nycourts.gov</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div id="m_-3518472752664788802forwardbody1"><div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dear Sirs</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Attached please find the following documents:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">(1) the e-docket as of today in the above entitled Delaware County Supreme Court Action that I have downloaded as a guest, as any other person with an Internet connection can do; this is not an appearance or waiver of any rights in this action;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">(2) Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>'s court calendars in Chenango, Broome, and Delaware County Supreme Courts for October 13, 2023;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">(3) Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>'s court orders, NYSCEF Docs. 21, 22 in Berrian Inc. v. Frederick J. Neroni, Tatiana Neroni.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="il">COMPLAINT</span>:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">My wife and I, two retired and disabled individuals, are domiciliaries and residents of the State of South Carolina since 2015.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">In May this year, we were sued in Delaware County Supreme Court by a corporation over an alleged easement dispute.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">After recusals of two other local judges, Justice Joseph A. <span class="il">McBride</span>, my opponent of many years in criminal cases as a prosecutor, was assigned to the case.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The case is currently at a pre-service stage, we are UNSERVED NONDOMICILIARY defendants who did not appear in the case in any way, shape or form.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">A third party has notified us that Plaintiff has applied, without serving us properly with the motion, to extend time to serve the Summons and <span class="il">Complaint</span> on us in South Carolina, and for expedient service by e-mail. The reason the third party notified us was because Plaintiff's counsel has dumped into public access our Social Security numbers, (NYSCEF Doc. 12, it was pulled on August 30, 2023 and returned into the docket on September 14, 2023, but remained within reach of identity thieves from August 16 to August 30, 2023) since New York court system allows anybody to download any files from e-filed cases for free, so now we are exposed to identity thieves thanks to Plaintiff's counsel's actions. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have attached the court docket as of today showing that I did not so far oppose the pending purported motion, and I do not have to. I was not served with the motion, and the motion is clearly legally insufficient. Moreover, even if I decide to oppose the motion, it will not be an appearance on the merits or waiver of personal jurisdiction, and the court still has no jurisdiction to order my in person appearance in the State of New York, as the whole issue Plaintiff is litigating right now is to get permission from the court for extra time to serve my wife and me in South Carolina since its 120 days to do that expired as of September 7, 2023.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">My copying of this <span class="il">complaint</span> to the 6th Judicial District is not a waiver on the merits either, but a notification of the court administration of a potential bribery of a Supreme Court justice.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The <span class="il">complaint</span> requests a judgment qualifying under CPLR 314(2), and even if my wife and I ARE served in South Carolina, the court still will not have personal jurisdiction over us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> appears to have received some improper encouragement from the corporate Plaintiff or its counsel, as I have received in the mail a letter claiming that I am "listed as an attorney for one of the parties" and that my appearance in person is required by the court on October 13, 2023.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> has no authority whatsoever to order my personal appearance, as he has no power over me as an unserved non-domiciliary defendant.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is very apparent that Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> is actively helping the corporate Plaintiff and its counsel in this matter, as the unauthorized order of Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> unlawfully directing my own and my wife's personal appearance in New York from South Carolina is an obvious setup that will resolve for the Plaintiff the current problem of being unable to acquire personal jurisdiction over us because we are out of state domiciliaries, CPLR 314(2). If we are served in court, that problem goes away, and Plaintiff's motion becomes moot. This is, apparently, Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>'s approach to resolving the issue - he simply undertook to represent the Plaintiff in the matter and use his non-existent in this matter judicial power over me to order a physical appearance of unserved nondomiciliary defendants in court, which is completely unheard of and stinks of a bribe.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have attached Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>'s calendars for the day when he ordered my wife's and my own appearance 850 miles away from home, a 1700 mile roundtrip for Justice's <span class="il">McBride</span>'s pleasure.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> has on that day motion calendars in the Supreme Court of three counties: Broome, Chenango, Delaware.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">In Broome, Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> has a long list of cases which are obviously, judging by their scheduled time at the same time at 9 30 am, scheduled to be submitted.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">In Chenango, Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> has a full calendar, both before and after noon. His last case in the morning is scheduled at 9 45 am and his first case in the afternoon is at 13 30, with 3.5 hours in between, which is barely enough for a roundtrip of 2+ hours to Delhi, NY and back, a public motion hearing in person, and a lunch. Our case is the only case scheduled in Delaware County Supreme Court for Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>. The Plaintiff did not request a personal appearance, and we did not appear, so we obviously did not either.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is very obvious that Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> is going to appear virtually - while not announcing it to the public and not allowing public viewing of that virtual appearance - while setting us up to have us served by Plaintiff in the courtroom or on the steps of the courthouse, which is the only apparent reason for him to order our personal appearance.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I cannot pound it enough that since we were never served, Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> has no authority over us whatsoever, whether we file an opposition to the current purported motions on submitted basis or not. The problem is that the personnel of the court may reject our papers on submission because of Justice <span class="il">McBride</span>'s scheduling order requiring that the appearance is in person. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is a sua sponte order, Plaintiff did not ask for such an appearance, and Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> certainly has no authority to order personally appearances in court of non-domiciliary unserved defendants.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">That sua sponte order was issued on September 12, 2023, 5 days after Plaintiff's time to serve us in South Carolina has expired per statute, CPLR 306-b.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is apparent that Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> is acting in clear absence of authority and knows it well, and adamantly and is publicly abusing its non-existing power a corporate Plaintiff to gain jurisdiction that the Plaintiff cannot otherwise gain.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I am wondering whether Justice <span class="il">McBride</span> was bribed by the Plaintiff or its counsel to make this outrageous unlawful order of personal appearance against non-appearing (as yet) unserved out of state defendants.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">And, again, even if I or my wife appear in opposition to a pre-service motion to extend service, the court has no authority to order our personal appearance in the State of New York.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I request to investigate this potential bribery case.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">As you understand, I am not going to stay silent about what I believe is an ongoing bribery of a Supreme Court justice, and will publish my <span class="il">complaint</span> as I please.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I request to take this obviously dishonest judge off this case and off the bench.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thank you,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Frederick J. Neroni</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">240 Harvest Moon Drive</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Georgetown SC, 29440</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Phone 843 461 3344</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">UNQUOTE</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">_________________</span></p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div>This complaint was NOT filed with the court. Mr. Neroni simply stated to Justice McBride that the denial of an ADA accommodation may create an appearance of retaliation for his complaint against the judge.</div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">As to the mentioning of Mr. Misk's little revenge-doxxing of us, putting online our social security numbers, Mr. Misk did not tell the court about that little adventure of his, or that he was notified back in August that we have evidence that his affidavits of service submitted to the court are false.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The reaction of Attorney Misk to that: he tried to make his false affidavits filed with the court into a bargaining tool, applying pressure upon me to accept service as a price of him not defrauding the court, see our exchange here:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">----</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div aria-expanded="true" class="h7" jsaction="RUzSf:.CLIENT" role="listitem" style="background-color: white; 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vertical-align: top;"><span aria-hidden="true"><</span>tatiana.neroni@gmail.com<span aria-hidden="true">></span></span></span></h3></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="gH bAk" style="align-items: center; color: #222222; display: block; margin: 0px; max-height: 20px; text-align: right; text-wrap: nowrap; vertical-align: top;"><div class="gK" style="align-items: center; display: flex; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Attachments" class="f gW" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/attachment_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 20px; margin: -3px 6px 0px 0px; opacity: 0.54; vertical-align: top; width: 20px;" title="misk inactive.PNG" /><span alt="Aug 30, 2023, 1:39 PM" class="g3" id=":27q" role="gridcell" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; display: block; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="-1" title="Aug 30, 2023, 1:39 PM">Wed, Aug 30, 1:39 PM</span><div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Not starred" class="zd bi4" data-tooltip="Not starred" jslog="20511; 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text-wrap: nowrap; width: 1112px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ady" style="align-items: center; display: flex; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;"><span class="hb" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;" translate="no">to <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="info@gmlawyers.net" data-hovercard-owner-id="124" email="info@gmlawyers.net" name="info" style="vertical-align: top;">info</span>, <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="nf@catskill.net" email="nf@catskill.net" name="nf" style="vertical-align: top;">nf</span></span></div><div aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="Show details" class="ajy" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":27f" role="button" style="align-items: center; border: none; display: inline-flex; justify-content: center; margin-left: 4px; outline: none; position: relative; vertical-align: top; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><img alt="" class="ajz" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/arrow_drop_down_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; opacity: 0.71; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div id=":27u"><div class="qQVYZb"></div><div class="utdU2e"></div><div class="wl4W9b" jsaction="yZx5xe:.CLIENT;smwiV:.CLIENT;aDOgue:.CLIENT;yhFqCb:.CLIENT;jvgWxf:.CLIENT;HeSKac:.CLIENT;xDmvre:.CLIENT;Mflzrd:.CLIENT;Puwq1b:.CLIENT;b1YYs:.CLIENT" style="display: flex;"></div></div><div class=""><div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":27g" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":27s" jslog="20277; u014N:xr6bB; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWE6ci04NTI5MzAwMzIzMzc2MDM4NjI3Il0.; 4:WyIjbXNnLWE6ci03MjczOTU0MzIzMzk3MzA5NDk2Il0." style="direction: ltr; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 8px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL " id=":27t" style="direction: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: auto hidden; position: relative;"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="adM"><br clear="all" /></div><div>Dear Sirs:</div><div><br /></div><div>I am writing to the law firm rather than to attorney Gerard N. <span class="il">Misk</span>, as attorney <span class="il">Misk</span> has been listed </div><div>as "inactive" in this case on e-courts as of 8/17/2023, see snapshot from E-courts attached.</div><div><br /></div><div>The firm may be unaware of Mr <span class="il">Misk</span>'s filings, but it is the firm against whom I will have to request </div><div>sanctions based on such filings, therefore, I am sending you a good faith notification ahead of time, </div><div>and a request to withdraw certain filings, which I will also follow up by certified mail as </div><div>soon as Hurricane Idalia is out of our hair.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Public exposure online by attorney Gerard N. <span class="il">Misk</span> of parts of my own and my husband's SSN </div><div>that are not allowed to be exposed, likely as a revenge doxxing for our refusal to consent to </div><div>service by e-mail and to tell them our residential address</div><div><br /></div><div>Disclaimer: Where, below, I am discussing my exposure of my husband's confidential </div><div>private information (CPI) exposing my husband to identity theft, I am writing this not as my </div><div>husband Frederick J. Neroni's attorney or representative, because I am not, but as his spouse </div><div>with a joint income and livelihood, where my own income and livelihood may be severely </div><div>affected by identity theft against my husband that was simplified by your attorney Misks's e-filings.</div><div class="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br /></div><div>I was alerted by the court notification sent by mail to us in South Carolina that you have </div><div>made a motion against us in the above matter. While I have never been legally served </div><div>with that motion, I was nevertheless, interested what was filed online, in order to protect my rights.</div><div><br /></div><div> As a guest, I have searched the E-docket on NYSCEF for free, as any member of the </div><div>public from anywhere in the world is allowed to do.</div><div><br /></div><div>The docket of Berrian, Inc. v. Neroni has showed an "Exhibit D", NYSCEF Doc. 12, filed </div><div>electronically by your attorney Gerard N. <span class="il">Misk</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Documents in Exhibit D are completely unredacted, contrary to 22 NYCRR 202.5(1)(e)(i) </div><div>and (ii) and contain:</div><div><br /></div><div>(1) 5 FIRST digits of my <span class="il">Social</span> <span class="il">Security</span> Number (only 4 LAST digits are allowed to be </div><div>disclosed by subsection (i) above;</div><div>(2) 5 FIRST digits of my husband's <span class="il">Social</span> <span class="il">Security</span> number;</div><div>(3) my month and year of birth (the month is prohibited for disclosure by subsection (ii) above;</div><div>(4) my husband's month and year of birth; and</div><div>(5) complete dates of birth or months of birth of our multiple family members, including our children, </div><div>and of people listed as being in possible association with us.</div><div><br /></div><div>You must be aware of NYS General Business Law 399DDD, which allows NYS Attorney General t</div><div>o impose, even for the first multiple violation of that section (exposure of even portions of SSNs t</div><div>hat are not allowed to be exposed) a fine of up to $100,000.00.</div><div><br /></div><div>Such misconduct certainly qualifies as frivolous conduct, especially that Exhibit D, as your </div><div>review must show, was completely unnecessary to file in the first place, as you and your </div><div>client have had our residential address in South Carolina from day 1 of the litigation, but made </div><div>no due diligence efforts to serve us.</div><div><br /></div><div>This matter is urgent for me, as you have exposed me and my husband (which affects me) </div><div>personally to increased chances of identity theft.</div><div><br /></div><div>As residents of South Carolina and a consumers protected by South Carolina law, we are </div><div>exploring options how to protect ourselves under South Carolina, New York and federal law </div><div>from this exposure.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the options that we are considering is a <span class="il">security</span> freeze on our credit score.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet, such a freeze, in itself, presents a major inconvenience to me and my husband, as the </div><div>freeze may cause us to be turned down in certain applications for credit, or require me to </div><div>engage in additional efforts to thaw my credit report temporarily for a particular period of time </div><div>or a particular creditor.</div><div><br /></div><div>In view of the above and as a matter of good faith I request that you IMMEDIATELY remove </div><div>Exhibit D from the E-file of the court, as every extra second our 5 first digits of SSNs plus our </div><div>months of birth remain online in free guest access to anybody from anywhere in the world, the </div><div>chances that that information will be obtained and used for ulterior purposes and result in identity </div><div>theft increases manifold.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moreover, I insist that you do not refile Exhibit D after bringing it in compliance with </div><div>22 NYCRR 202.5(1)(e)(i) and (ii), as subsection (i) allows posting of the last digits of our SSNs </div><div>which were not posted yet by your while the first 5 digits were.</div><div><br /></div><div>Posting the remaining 4 digits, under the circumstances, will simply put our entire SSNs online, </div><div>exposing us completely to identity thieves.</div><div><br /></div><div>I repeat that you must well know, as experienced attorneys, that Exhibit D was completely </div><div>unnecessary for you to obtain personal service over us in South Carolina at the address that is </div><div>and has been on your Summons since the filing date of the action, and I have incontrovertible </div><div>proof to establish that iin court. </div><div><br /></div><div>If Exhibit D is not removed by you from the docket, I will ask the court for sanctions against your </div><div>client, your law firm and Gerard N. <span class="il">Misk</span> personally, in addition to other measures you have made </div><div>necessary for me to protect myself from identity theft and redress the wrong imposed on me by you.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. False affidavits </div><div><br /></div><div>Attorney Gerard N. <span class="il">Misk</span> has submitted to the court several affidavits of service by one J</div><div>ohnny McRae Jr. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have incontrovertible proof that all of these affidavits are false.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your review of the affidavits may show you why they are facially legally insufficient, even </div><div>without being blatantly false.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since your client's entire purported motion is supported by these false affidavits, I may argue </div><div>to the court that the entire motion is frivolous.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>If these affidavits are not withdrawn from the case, I will be forced to ask for sanctions </div><div>against you and, possibly, to file a lawsuit against your law firm pursuing appropriate </div><div>causes of action in appropriate courts.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you understand, I have sufficient litigation experience as a trial lawyer not to have </div><div>to pay an attorney to sue you.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please, advise how you want to proceed regarding the above described matters.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Tatiana Neroni</div><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div class="adL"></div></div></div><div class="hq gt" id=":27e" style="clear: both; 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max-width: calc(100% - 8px); overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="qu" role="gridcell" tabindex="-1" translate="no"><span class="gD" data-hovercard-id="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" email="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" name="Gerard Misk" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #1f1f1f; display: inline; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="position: relative; vertical-align: top;">Gerard Misk</span></span> <span class="cfXrwd"></span><span class="go" style="color: #5e5e5e; vertical-align: top;"><span aria-hidden="true"><</span>gmisk@gmlawyers.net<span aria-hidden="true">></span></span></span></h3></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="gH bAk" style="align-items: center; color: #222222; display: block; margin: 0px; max-height: 20px; text-align: right; text-wrap: nowrap; vertical-align: top;"><div class="gK" style="align-items: center; display: flex; padding: 0px;"><span alt="Aug 30, 2023, 3:14 PM" class="g3" id=":233" role="gridcell" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; display: block; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="-1" title="Aug 30, 2023, 3:14 PM">Wed, Aug 30, 3:14 PM</span><div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Not starred" class="zd bi4" data-tooltip="Not starred" jslog="20511; u014N:cOuCgd,Kr2w4b; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWE6ci04NTI5MzAwMzIzMzc2MDM4NjI3Il0.; 4:WyIjbXNnLWY6MTc3NTY4MjU1NjI0MTk5NDgyOCJd" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; margin-left: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="T-KT" style="align-items: center; border: none; display: inline-flex; height: 20px; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.15s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0s; width: 20px; z-index: 0;"></span></div></div></td><td class="gH" style="align-items: center; color: #222222; display: flex; margin: 0px; text-align: right; text-wrap: nowrap; vertical-align: top;"></td><td class="gH acX bAm" rowspan="2" style="align-items: center; 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display: inline-block; height: 20px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: opacity 0.15s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0s; vertical-align: middle; width: 20px;" /></div></td></tr><tr class="acZ xD" style="display: flex; height: auto;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; text-wrap: nowrap; width: 1112px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ady" style="align-items: center; display: flex; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;"><span class="hb" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;" translate="no">to <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="tatiana.neroni@gmail.com" email="tatiana.neroni@gmail.com" name="me" style="vertical-align: top;">me</span>, <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="nf@catskill.net" email="nf@catskill.net" name="nf@catskill.net" style="vertical-align: top;">nf@catskill.net</span></span></div><div aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="Show details" class="ajy" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":22u" role="button" style="align-items: center; border: none; display: inline-flex; justify-content: center; margin-left: 4px; outline: none; position: relative; vertical-align: top; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><img alt="" class="ajz" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/arrow_drop_down_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; opacity: 0.71; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div id=":237"><div class="qQVYZb"></div><div class="utdU2e"></div><div class="wl4W9b" jsaction="yZx5xe:.CLIENT;smwiV:.CLIENT;aDOgue:.CLIENT;yhFqCb:.CLIENT;jvgWxf:.CLIENT;HeSKac:.CLIENT;xDmvre:.CLIENT;Mflzrd:.CLIENT;Puwq1b:.CLIENT;b1YYs:.CLIENT" style="display: flex;"></div></div><div class=""><div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":22v" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt adO" id=":235" jslog="20277; u014N:xr6bB; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWE6ci04NTI5MzAwMzIzMzc2MDM4NjI3Il0.; 4:WyIjbXNnLWY6MTc3NTY4MjU1NjI0MTk5NDgyOCJd" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 8px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL msg-6528890469891103050" id=":236" style="direction: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: auto hidden; position: relative;"><div class="adM"></div><div lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class="adM"></div><div class="m_-6528890469891103050WordSection1"><div class="adM"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thank you for pointing out the error in the filing of Exhibit D. It has now been corrected, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">with my apologies. With regard to the affidavits of attempted service, we do not believe </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">that they have been filed in bad faith. If you think that the request for alternative service </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">is not well founded, you can file opposition. Or we can short circuit the whole affair and </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">you can accept service and I will withdraw my motion.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Gerard <span class="il">Misk</span></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ginsburg & <span class="il">Misk</span> LLP</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">215-48 Jamaica Ave</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Queens Village, NY 11428</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">718-468-0500 X 106</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">GMisk@GMLawyers.net</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gmlawyers.net/&source=gmail&ust=1702237962639000&usg=AOvVaw06ny-iovYnjs1faHYf9dzY" fg_scanned="1" href="http://www.gmlawyers.net/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.GMLawyers.net</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="GM-Group-Logo-2" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="163" id="m_-6528890469891103050Picture_x0020_1" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=9215b65ce5&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1775682556241994828&th=18a47de07ea9644c&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ8GHzAAHIQJ8kAA9b_cicrK_1ficip3NzsmYhjJwc8r3PtMBZTfNmfWn8e80PVnrvRIDk1ZtPN-u0y1NIJykEXoff10AKoNzsNDQlS0E9zUSo4CsbzaVWn5vg8&disp=emb" width="183" /><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: green; font-family: Webdings; font-size: 18pt;">P</span><span style="color: green; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"> Please conserve and don't print this e-mail unless it's necessary.</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Confidentiality Disclosure:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"> The information in this email and in attachments is confidential and intended solely for the attention a</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">nd use of the named addressee(s). This information may be subject to legal professional or other privilege or may otherwise be </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">p</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">rotected by work product immunity or other legal rules. It must not be disclosed to any person without our authority. 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text-wrap: nowrap; width: 1112px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ady" style="align-items: center; display: flex; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;"><span class="hb" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;" translate="no">to <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" email="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" name="Gerard" style="vertical-align: top;">Gerard</span></span></div><div aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="Show details" class="ajy" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":25l" role="button" style="align-items: center; border: none; display: inline-flex; justify-content: center; margin-left: 4px; outline: none; position: relative; vertical-align: top; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><img alt="" class="ajz" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/arrow_drop_down_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; opacity: 0.71; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div id=":22m"><div class="qQVYZb"></div><div class="utdU2e"></div><div class="wl4W9b" jsaction="yZx5xe:.CLIENT;smwiV:.CLIENT;aDOgue:.CLIENT;yhFqCb:.CLIENT;jvgWxf:.CLIENT;HeSKac:.CLIENT;xDmvre:.CLIENT;Mflzrd:.CLIENT;Puwq1b:.CLIENT;b1YYs:.CLIENT" style="display: flex;"></div></div><div class=""><div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":25m" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":23j" jslog="20277; u014N:xr6bB; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWE6ci04NTI5MzAwMzIzMzc2MDM4NjI3Il0.; 4:WyIjbXNnLWE6ci03MTY2MTk5OTYwODQ4Njg5NzY0Il0." style="direction: ltr; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 8px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL " id=":23k" style="direction: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: auto hidden; position: relative;"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Mr <span class="il">Misk</span></div><div><br /></div><div>1. As the snapshot from the court website that I have sent to your law firm shows, you are </div><div>listed as "inactive" on this case's page on E-courts. I will be deeming you as having no authority</div><div> to represent Plaintiff in this action, as per official court records, unless proof otherwise is provided.</div><div><br /></div>2. I have made a good faith effort to notify you of your potentially frivolous filing of an apparently</div><div dir="ltr"> false and facially insufficient affidavits before moving for sanctions. You have a chance to withdraw</div><div dir="ltr"> them before I move for sanctions or/and pursue other venues of legal redress available to me </div><div dir="ltr">regarding that issue.<div><br /></div><div>3. As you well know, I have no legal obligation to accept service from you, especially that </div><div>you know full well where I reside, and that I am fully amenable to personal service there. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div><br /></div><div>Tatiana Neroni</div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_14" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div><span style="color: #888888;"><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">--</span><br /><div class="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Tatiana Neroni<br />Author, <br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1702237962648000&usg=AOvVaw073SCHUoC8ssmEp8XapaOG" fg_rewritten="1" fg_scanned="1" href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: rgb(200, 26, 0) !important; color: #1155cc; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px;" target="_blank">http://attorneyindependence.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a><br /><br /></div></div></div></span></div><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="adL"></div></div></div><div class="hq gt" id=":25k" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 15px 0px;"><div class="hp" style="border-top: 1px dotted rgb(216, 216, 216); width: 1112px;"></div><div class="ho" id=":25i" style="margin: 12px 0px; position: relative;"><span class="aVW a5T" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: flex; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: bold; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id=":25h"> One attachment</span><span class="a2H" id=":25f" style="font-weight: normal;"> • Scanned by Gmail</span><div class="a2b" jslog="150791; u014N:xr6bB;" style="height: 30px;" ve-visible="true"><div aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="Nbrrqb" class="a2a a2a" role="img" style="background-image: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/saferwithgoogle/info_outline_grey700_16px_2x.png"); 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cursor: default; display: flex; float: none; height: 80px; min-width: 40px; padding: 0px 16px;"><div class="aCi" style="position: relative;"><img aria-hidden="true" class="ajn" data-hovercard-id="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" data-name="Gerard Misk" id=":nk_16-e" jid="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" name=":nk" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cm/AH_dcDlc1YcGALPpSFasV1yMcfRS2QkbP_DJ5cN05NN1xZkestXqi7KvUh82VYoB956V=s80-p" style="background-color: #a4c2f4; border-radius: 50%; display: block; height: 40px; width: 40px;" /></div></div><div class="gs" style="margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: initial;"><div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: auto; font-size: 0.875rem; padding: 20px 0px 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; font-size: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="display: block;"><tr class="acZ" style="display: flex; height: auto;"><td class="gF gK" style="display: block; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; max-height: 20px; padding: 0px; text-wrap: nowrap; vertical-align: top; width: 834.45px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 834.45px;"><tbody><tr><td class="c2" style="display: flex; margin: 0px;"><h3 class="iw" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5f6368; font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: inherit; max-width: calc(100% - 8px); overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="qu" role="gridcell" tabindex="-1" translate="no"><span class="gD" data-hovercard-id="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" email="gmisk@gmlawyers.net" name="Gerard Misk" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #1f1f1f; display: inline; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="position: relative; vertical-align: top;">Gerard Misk</span></span> <span class="cfXrwd"></span><span class="go" style="color: #5e5e5e; 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text-wrap: nowrap; width: 1112px;"><tbody><tr><td class="ady" style="align-items: center; display: flex; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;"><span class="hb" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: auto; color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: top;" translate="no">to <span class="g2" data-hovercard-id="tatiana.neroni@gmail.com" email="tatiana.neroni@gmail.com" name="me" style="vertical-align: top;">me</span></span></div><div aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="Show details" class="ajy" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":24h" role="button" style="align-items: center; border: none; display: inline-flex; justify-content: center; margin-left: 4px; outline: none; position: relative; vertical-align: top; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><img alt="" class="ajz" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/arrow_drop_down_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; opacity: 0.71; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 20px;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div id=":24u"><div class="qQVYZb"></div><div class="utdU2e"></div><div class="wl4W9b" jsaction="yZx5xe:.CLIENT;smwiV:.CLIENT;aDOgue:.CLIENT;yhFqCb:.CLIENT;jvgWxf:.CLIENT;HeSKac:.CLIENT;xDmvre:.CLIENT;Mflzrd:.CLIENT;Puwq1b:.CLIENT;b1YYs:.CLIENT" style="display: flex;"></div></div><div class=""><div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":24i" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":24s" jslog="20277; u014N:xr6bB; 1:WyIjdGhyZWFkLWE6ci04NTI5MzAwMzIzMzc2MDM4NjI3Il0.; 4:WyIjbXNnLWY6MTc3NTY4NDQ0MTgzMzk1MDU4OSJd" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 8px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL msg-7191810493151646979" id=":24t" style="direction: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: auto hidden; position: relative;"><div class="adM"></div><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="adM"></div><div class="m_-7191810493151646979WordSection1"><div class="adM"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Do as you wish. It is obvious that you would rather stand on ceremony than simply accept </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">service of a complaint you have already received.<u></u><u></u></span></p><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_29" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div><div><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_27" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div><div><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_25" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div><blockquote style="border-bottom: none; border-image: initial; border-left: 1pt solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right: none; border-top: none; margin-left: 4.8pt; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0in 0in 0in 6pt;"><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_23" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.edgepilot.com/s/89d9ebec/f3lZPVXVcEKciH4CpOS4AA?u%3Dhttp://www.gmlawyers.net/&source=gmail&ust=1702237962660000&usg=AOvVaw3O_2pzoiqbqsjNv09PzLAu" fg_scanned="1" href="https://link.edgepilot.com/s/89d9ebec/f3lZPVXVcEKciH4CpOS4AA?u=http://www.gmlawyers.net/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://link.edgepilot.com/s/<wbr></wbr>89d9ebec/<wbr></wbr>f3lZPVXVcEKciH4CpOS4AA?u=http:<wbr></wbr>//www.gmlawyers.net/</a></span><u></u><u></u></p><div><div class="adm" style="margin: 5px 0px;"><div class="ajR h4" id="q_21" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; color: #500050; cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;"><div class="ajT" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system_gm/2x/more_horiz_black_20dp.png") center center / 20px no-repeat; height: 11px; opacity: 0.71; width: 24px;"></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><br clear="all" /><u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span class="m_-7191810493151646979gmailsignatureprefix">--</span><u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 12pt;">Tatiana Neroni<br />Author, <br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.edgepilot.com/s/8afb0a31/SxA7SIMGPkCu_TK1yIkowA?u%3Dhttp://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1702237962660000&usg=AOvVaw1-_hFupqkZR4uLkO3bFcNG" fg_scanned="1" href="https://link.edgepilot.com/s/8afb0a31/SxA7SIMGPkCu_TK1yIkowA?u=http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://link.edgepilot.com/s/<wbr></wbr>8afb0a31/SxA7SIMGPkCu_<wbr></wbr>TK1yIkowA?u=http://<wbr></wbr>attorneyindependence.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I did not complain against Judge McBride and did not say I did in the court filings.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yet, here is what Mr. Misk is responding to Judge McBride, claiming that I did complain against Judge McBride and asking Judge McBride to punish both Mr. Neroni and me - with denial of ADA accommodations, no less - because of that complaint.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mind that Mr. Misk did not disclose to the court - to this day - that he was notified by me in August that his affidavits submitted to the court are false, or that he used that fact to pressure me to waive service, while conducting no investigation of that fact.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now, consider this beautiful piece from Mr. Misk to the court:<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxl6vXCBrjrlRg41h2CwDAQu22895fXA3y8IYwxpg1SGpMB14tU-SDQXxF-scRgkzjeTh5Im5bcI5M6WI1iRhwdSLgx37Ja6rZtqxWCHqibsAhmZBt7Tq1es4DXjtFIMfqBG87P83HISOmLGsiiYT89qKMardbRrTSLncaJGQskLS3crcLx8tUYRW-W0/s2389/SmartSelect_20231209_140404_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2389" data-original-width="1765" height="740" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxl6vXCBrjrlRg41h2CwDAQu22895fXA3y8IYwxpg1SGpMB14tU-SDQXxF-scRgkzjeTh5Im5bcI5M6WI1iRhwdSLgx37Ja6rZtqxWCHqibsAhmZBt7Tq1es4DXjtFIMfqBG87P83HISOmLGsiiYT89qKMardbRrTSLncaJGQskLS3crcLx8tUYRW-W0/w546-h740/SmartSelect_20231209_140404_Word.jpg" width="546" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7H16mG5VBSZV1DfsfelRyi01a6Mi8nL_pzv5FhqYchbQow7T3pF-mKUmC50sDAT9rCz83QpDXUX6AABW5v6QoGRL3-ku_OARTHvwBhBue2o0truL7AKn-8kF4Z_689EHLMMLEmm8LniRmobl1trIF1XQdM7r8OHRcNh0yNRdnOdYVkaTvRH4OxVIAS4/s2398/SmartSelect_20231209_140417_Word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2398" data-original-width="1833" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7H16mG5VBSZV1DfsfelRyi01a6Mi8nL_pzv5FhqYchbQow7T3pF-mKUmC50sDAT9rCz83QpDXUX6AABW5v6QoGRL3-ku_OARTHvwBhBue2o0truL7AKn-8kF4Z_689EHLMMLEmm8LniRmobl1trIF1XQdM7r8OHRcNh0yNRdnOdYVkaTvRH4OxVIAS4/w481-h628/SmartSelect_20231209_140417_Word.jpg" width="481" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mr. Misk is of an opinion, contrary to medical evidence submitted by Mr. Neroni to the court, that Mr. Neroni is faking his disability, and requests to deny his minimum ADA accommodation BECAUSE Mr. Neroni complained against the judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div>One day prior to this letter Mr. Neroni has filed a motion to vacate Judge McBride's order against Mr. Neroni made because Mr. Neroni did not appear IN NEW YORK, physically, summoned there without being served, in order to deliver Mr. Neroni as a present for service in the courtroom to the corporate alleged Plaintiff.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mr. Neroni and I submitted enough evidence to the court to show that Mr. Misk's affidavits of service or, rather, non-service on us in South Carolina were false and that the process server has never been at our house, as he has claimed it to be "not occupied", when we had dogs and cats on the OUTSIDE screened porch from 7 30 am to 9 pm EVERY SINGLE DAY, and only a fraudster can claim to the court under such circumstances (and that was only one detail, there were a lot more) that the house was "not occupied", NYSCEF Docs. 4, 5.</div><div><br /></div><div>That made Justice McBride realize into what mess Attorney Misk has gotten him, and, combined with Attorney Misk's direct request to retaliate against an invalid by torturing him (denying him an elementary ADA accommodation Mr. Neroni requested) BECAUSE Mr. Neroni complained against the judge, Justice McBride immediately recused.</div><div><br /></div><div>Justice Patrick O'Sullivan was assigned.</div><div><br /></div><div>Justice Patrick O'Sullivan has, first, taken ALL of our motions off the calendar and replaced them with a "Conference/Unknown", again scheduled for 9:30 am, despite Mr. Neroni's threat of a lawsuit for violation of the ADA.</div><div><br /></div><div>It took several more letters to the court - which was EXTREMELY uncomfortable for Mr. Neroni physically to even write, much less file - for the court to realize that it has no authority, at a pre-service stage of proceedings, with motions to dismiss for lack of service pending, to call any "conferences", especially for "unknown" reasons, and to take off the calendar the actual motions.</div><div><br /></div><div>What the court did though was a compromise: the judge has denied us the request for what is given to any other litigant in Delaware County Supreme Court by default, to proceed with our fully briefed motions on paper, without a hearing.</div><div><br /></div><div>We submitted that written policy to the court with one of our letters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet, the judge (1) cancelled the "Conference/Unknown", (2) restored our motions to the calendar, albeit with an adjournment of a week, and (3) still ordered an oral argument by Teams for December 15, 2023 at 2 00 pm, because the court supposedly "had questions" about the fully briefed motions.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxIUoycoF8z3ZJH8q7qes7rHDCsWJcmHOM8uGgeGOeCBgbdo6t1-WGmOOEs929a10Ne6PMPxoPxcj9BSWKviTsQxknw9b17YR6BY1lcVbb5TbDenBnsveTjuon0xbFufCKM0RqeKHJjt0rawTYuU-kqxyHB5Zl5fJ4BTyFOAD7hXeqMsB-UpyV0kSNPk/s2048/371481584_2423470201192973_3379317942440994798_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1555" height="806" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxIUoycoF8z3ZJH8q7qes7rHDCsWJcmHOM8uGgeGOeCBgbdo6t1-WGmOOEs929a10Ne6PMPxoPxcj9BSWKviTsQxknw9b17YR6BY1lcVbb5TbDenBnsveTjuon0xbFufCKM0RqeKHJjt0rawTYuU-kqxyHB5Zl5fJ4BTyFOAD7hXeqMsB-UpyV0kSNPk/w612-h806/371481584_2423470201192973_3379317942440994798_n.jpg" width="612" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Since we do not know Justice O'Sullivan, and because Justice O'Sullivan's letter to us was polite - for a change, after the dehumanizing treatment we suffered by the same court for years, and in this case, too, we gave the court the benefit of the doubt, rescheduled our Notices of Motions to that date and time, and are going to appear for the court's questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remind the public who wants to attend that the discussion is of JURISDICTION only.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is a pre-service stage of litigation, we were not served, and the motions are </div><div><br /></div><div>(1) a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction - my motion, (I am arguing that the lawsuit is brought by an attorney not legally authorized to file lawsuits on behalf of this corporation);</div><div><br /></div><div>(2) A motion for authority of plaintiff's counsel to bring the lawsuit, CPLR 322(a) - my motion;</div><div><br /></div><div>(3) A motion for a more definite statement of jurisdictional grounds for personal jurisdiction over the alleged tort of obstruction of an easement, CPLR 3024(a) - my motion;</div><div><br /></div><div>(4) a motion to vacate the prior order of Justice McBride that extended the Plaintiff's time to serve the Summons and Complaint on us, CPLR 306-b, by 30 days after the entry of the order, and allowed service by e-mail, CPLR 308(5) - motions by both Mr. Neroni and myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>Grounds are - CPLR 5015(a)(2), (3), (4) (new evidence, misrepresentation/fraud, lack of jurisdiction)</div><div><br /></div><div>(5) a motion to dismiss for failure to serve us with the Summons and Complaint - Mr. Neroni's and my own motions Pro Se.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, the motions are fully briefed, with the exception that an opposition is due on the motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction (on Dec 13th), and our replies for all motions are due on Dec 14th.</div><div><br /></div><div>All the documents so far filed are available on the NYSCEF website for free from any point of the world.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">===<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">As I said above, if you want to attend this court hearing, you can send your e-mail addresses to me by e-mail tatiana.neroni@gmail.com, messenger on Facebook, same name Tatiana Neroni, or whatsup 1 843 240 7745.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">When I receive your email, I will arrange for your admission to the hearing on Dec 15, 2023 at 2 00 pm eastern time via Microsoft Teams. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Will appreciate attendance as support and as court observation - and public supervision. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">For those who want to apply for attendance on their own, the link to request attendance is here:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">https://portal.nycourts.gov/virtual-appearance-view-request/</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Info about the case to enter into the request form:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Name of court: Delaware County Supreme Court, multibench</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Case #: EF2023-322 </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Case name: Berrian, Inc. V Neroni.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">You can download and view all materials in the case, including the motions that are to be reviewed at the hearing, by typing in Google:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">NYSCEF guest search, </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">verifying that you are not a robot, entering my name, Tatiana Neroni, in the appearing search form and clicking the link when the case name appears.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Your attendance will be greatly appreciated. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thank you!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tatiana Neroni</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></p></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-50286945029900911952023-04-06T08:15:00.004-07:002023-04-06T08:36:56.090-07:00Dishonesty, incompetence and political agenda wins a top judicial seat in Wisconsin - oh, well<p> <span style="font-size: x-large;">As you have, probably, noticed, I have ceased to write in this blog - at least, to write often.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">And for a reason: the country has changed too much since I have first started to write here 9 years ago in 2014, and it appears now that we have a firmly established selective political "justice" for every single one of us, which back in 2014 belonged only in the area of attorney disciline which I wrote here about.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now the sanctity of a law office and the security of the attorney-client privilege was violated for all on the American soil through multiple searches of President Trumps' attorneys' law offices and now, through the indictment of Trump based on forced statements of his attorney under the threat that if he does not cough up some garbage agaisnt Trump, his wife will be jailed - because if it is against Trump, no law may protect him or anybody who dares to represent him.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">His attorneys were intimidated, searched, convicted, disbarred, threatened, his own home was searched, now he was indicted - no law is needed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have already stated that multiple times over the course of the recent years that the justice system works in a very straightforward way, and for everybody, and if you position one person below the law simply based on his identity - you have just allowed that principle to be applied to yourself, too, and to everybody located within jurisdiction of the United States.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The rule of law works, through separate specific cases, either to support that same rule of FOR EVERYBODY, or to ERODE it - also for EVERYBODY.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">If, since the "Russian collusion hoax", the public was TAUGHT by the leftstream media to believe, CONTRARY TO THE LAW, that indictments against Trump's associates, and against Trump himself is EVIDENCE, and that what Trump and his associates needed to do is PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE, that belief tainted jury pools across the country in every single criminal jury trial on the Amerian soil for every single defendant involved.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now Democrats are working hard on undermining a yet another fundamental constitutional right - to a fair and impartial judicial review, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, by working, in a politically selective way, of course,</span><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> in two OPPOSITE directions at the same time, on the issue of judicial ethics and judicial misconduct.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">They, on the one hand, ardently push in Congress for the establishment of a code of ethical conduct for US Supreme Court justices - and they are right on that, even though they never wanted to notice the gross ethical violations of their now dearly departed Justice Ruth Ginsburg who not only presided over Trump cases while publicly professing her hatred against him, but proactively influenced cases in courts below, conducting secret negotiations with a federal appellate court in Hawaii hearing a Trump case before it even reached her docket. Democrats keep mum about it, and, moreover, viciously attack those who dare to point that out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yet, they, on the other hand, blast President Trump for LEGITIMATELY criticizing the judge presiding over his made-up criminal case for presiding over a case where the judge openly hates the Defendant, and where his closest family members are in the pay of the defendant's orior and current political opponents.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The hypocrisy with the judicial ethics thing-y has hit a new high (or is it a low?) where the leftstream media is now celebrating that a candidate for the seat of a Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice has "won" that race by publicly pledging as to how she will rule on a certain issue regardless of what evidence will be in front of her, "overturning the abortion ban".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yet, such a claim testifies to the winning candidate's, at the same time, dishonesty and incompetence.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dishonesty because a judge is elected to the Supreme Court of the State to do appellate work and nothing else, and rule only on the issue in front of her - not use her position of power to promote her own and her party's political agenda. In fact, she pledged that, if elected, she will do politics in court instead of doing her job - and the public happily elected her.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Incompetence - because, had she read what she so disingenuously (that is a clever legal term replacing the straightfoward word "stupid") called "abortion ban", that SCOTUS decision has actually GAVE THE STATES a right to decide whether they want or do not want to allow abortion, as the power to protect health and safety of their residents is the exclusive power of the states, she would have been pledging to the public to "OVERTURN" a "ban" that DOES NOT EXIST.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The "overturning" pledge is even more scary that the US Supreme Court has given this power where it belongs by the US Constitution, its 10th Amendment - to people, to enact an abortion permission, or ban, through their representatives in state courts. What the judge pledged - ahead of time - to do is to read into the Wisconsin State Constitution what is not there, in the event the people of the State of Wisconsin DO enact an abortion ban, which, whether the judge and her political party likes it or not, will then become law.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thus, the winning judicial candidate in Wisconsin was trying to either publicly and bravely slam down an open door, or to claim that she may single-handedly defy the State Constitution under which she received job and power.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The sad part about an unethical and incompetent candidate winning the race for the position of a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice is that (1) now she will get to set for the state the common law and interpretations of state statutory laws; and (2) will regulalte, now appreciate the sad irony, the ethics of behavior of attorneys, admitting or exclulding them from practice - and from the reach of their clients - on her stupid, incompetent and politically tainted agenda.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Of course, now impeachment of the stupid and incompetent justice-elect is rumored to be on the agenda of the State Senate - and, obviously, for a good reason.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">So - celebrate it if you can, while you can - maybe the law, common sense and justice will prevail over the "winning" judge who has PLEDGED to violate her oath of office before taking it, for political agenda - and won because of it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">OR try to work to - legally - undo the avalanche of politicizing of the justice system by every possible legal means.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-46261843798882692362022-10-07T11:43:00.004-07:002022-10-07T11:43:40.791-07:00Voters in Delaware County, NY, remember - no lawyer will dare tell you the truth about John Hubbard as a judicial candidate. You need to do your own homework before voting.<span style="font-size: large;">New York "ethical rules" forbids lawyers, under the penalty of losing their livelihood, to truthfully inform voters about honesty and competency (or lack thereof) of judicial candidates, <a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2022/05/more-on-disinformation-of-voters-as.html">read my prior article with evidence here</a>.</span>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-20089538422848782322022-10-07T11:40:00.000-07:002022-10-07T11:40:01.623-07:00A gentle reminder to voters of how judicial candidate John Hubbard has dishonestly got his alleged extraordinary high conviction record as a DA - from his former law partner Judge Becker <p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2016/01/criminal-and-child-abuse-cases-in.html">This is an article from 2016.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is very relevant now when judicial candidate John Hubbard, Delaware County DA now, claims in his election campaign to become a County Judge his extremely high conviction rate - without mentioning that that the said conviction rate was obtained </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(1) illegally, without disclosure to defendants and their attorneys that the presiding judge (Becker) was Hubbard's law partner before coming to the bench, and </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(2) from Judge Northrup, Hubbard's former boss/DA.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Coincidentally, both Becker and Northrup ran from their much-craved judicial positions before their terms were up, indicating that they were both booted quietly for undisclosed misconduct - and County judges are very, very rarely booted by the New York Commission for Judicial Conduct, so misconduct must have been really, really bad.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">John must be proud by such an association and leadership.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">By the way, John does not mention to the public on his Facebook election page that he, together with his then-boss Northrup and in cahoots with his former law partner Judge Becker, <b>bought waivers</b> of liability for himself, judge Becker, the County and its various employees in civil rights lawsuits <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">through plea bargains in criminal cases</span>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I caught the crew doing that in 2009 in a case of a legally blind client where the crew had the legally blind client sign such a waiver without being told what he was signing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That was a form waiver my legally blind client has signed (represented at the plea allocution by a previous attorney, who we sued successfully later), so there is a high likelihood John Hubbard, Northrup and Becker have had a zillion of those waivers sold in exchange for plea bargains.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The impartial and honorable ones.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Just know who you are electing.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-26954491699082253772022-07-21T11:19:00.005-07:002022-07-21T11:22:04.051-07:00Judicial candidate John Hubbard will be absolutely disqualified as a matter of law from the majority of Family Court cases in Delaware County, New York, if elected<p><span style="font-size: large;"> In my <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2022/07/delaware-county-ny-judicial-candidate.html">previous article</a>, I have shown that the current judicial candidate, Delaware County District Attorney John Hubbard who is currently running an election campaign to become Delaware County, NY 3-bench judge (County, Family and Surrogate's Court) may be prohibited as a matter of law to sit on the majority of cases in all courts in Delaware County because of his familial relationships going back 6+ generations in a thinly populated, highly tribal and clannish and very interbred area.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">There are more mandatory prohibitions that will preclude Hubbard, as a matter of law, from sitting on a large number, if not the majority of, specifically, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Family Court cases</span>, which will necessitate taxpayers of the state of New York to pay judges from other areas to fill in the gaps.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> New York State has a statute, <a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/judiciary-law/jud-sect-14.html">Judiciary Law Section 14</a>, containing ABSOLUTE prohibitions for judges to preside over certain cases.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"<span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">A judge </span><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fcff01;">shall not sit as such in, or take any part in the decision of, an action, claim, matter, motion or proceeding </span></span></p><p></p><ul><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #ffa400;">to which he is a party, or </b></span></span></li><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #ffa400;">in which he has been attorney or counsel</b><span style="background-color: white;">, or </span></span></span></li><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">in which he is interested, or </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span>if he is </span><span>related by consanguinity or affinity</span><span> <span>to any party to the controversy</span> </span><span><span>within the sixth degree</span></span></span><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white;">. </span><span style="background-color: white;"> The degree shall be ascertained by ascending from the judge to the common ancestor, descending to the party, counting a degree for each person in both lines, including the judge and party, and excluding the common ancestor."</span></span></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;">New York State Court of Appeals has declared that a judge's recusal is a matter of the judge's practically unlimited "discretion" (choice, whim) <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17230672721172547838&q=judiciary+law+14&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33">IF the judge is not disqualified by Judiciary Law 14</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Disqualification by one of the prohibitions of Judiciary Law 14 gives the judge no choice but to recuse from a case.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Two of such prohibitions are that the judge was an attorney or a party in any "action, claim, motion or proceeding".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">John Hubbard does not conceal the fact that he has been a criminal prosecutor in Delaware County for over 20 years.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In fact, he makes it one of his running points - that he has "served people" and was "tough on crime".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Good for him - although this is mostly a lie, you can read my other blogs about Hubbard (this blog allows word-searching) to see evidence of that.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Hubbard's position as a criminal prosecutor for 20+ years in Delaware County though is exactly what makes him uniquely disqualified from sitting on a large number, if not the majority, of Family Court cases, especially the so-called "child protective" cases, and the proof of it is in the text of the applicable law. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">New
York State Social Services Law 34-a(2)(b)</span>, about the so-called "s</span><span style="line-height: 107%;">ummary
of understanding", says the following:</span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">“The regulations promulgated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;">shall require the multi-year services plan</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and where </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">appropriate </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;">the annual implementation reports</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">, to </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;">include a summary of the understanding between the local social services district and the <u>district attorney’s office</u>, which outlines the cooperative procedures to be followed by both parties in investigating incidents of child abuse and maltreatment, consistent with their respective obligations for the investigation or prosecution of such incidents, as otherwise required by law</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">.”</span></div><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Explanation in a human language: </span> EVERY SINGLE "child protective" investigation of CPS MUST be accompanied by the investigation by the local police, otherwise Social Services cannot receive financing.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Hubbard as a criminal prosecutor was, by law, legal advisor of the "law enforcement" conducting every single child protective investigation in Delaware County for 20+ years, absolutely disqualifying Hubbard from presiding over such cases - that often last for years and may be still on the court docket.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, in EVERY SINGLE child protective investigation and/or subsequent administrative or Family Court proceeding by Delaware County CPS done before the date Hubbard is sworn in as a judge Hubbard will have been an "attorney or counsel", a legal advisor of the police who conducted joint investigations together with CPS in EVERY SINGLE child protective case.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Given how small the county's population is, how poor, and how dedicated CPS is to go after members of the same families, in generations, again and again, 20+ years' worth of involvement and disqualification by Hubbard from cases prior to January 1, 2023 means the majority of child protective cases, and all other cases in Family Court.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Next, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">New York State Family Court Act 254-a Subsection 1 </span>says:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. The <b>county attorney</b> and the <b>district attorney</b> of a county, and the corporation counsel of the city of New York and the district attorney of any county in such city, <b>may enter into an agreement</b> whereby <b>the district attorney shall <u>present</u> the case in support of the petition in which a designated felony act has been alleged</b>.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Explanation in a human language:</span> The CPS attorney may agree that <b>the local criminal prosecutor be the attorney of record for the petitioner (County, party petitioner in the proceedings)</b> in cases of child abuse, a "civil" proceeding where allegations are made of parent's conduct that is a felony if brought in criminal court.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A petitioner is a PARTY in a proceeding in Family Court, for juvenile delinquency (Article 3 of the Family Court Act), Persons in Need of Supervision (Article 7), Family Offense (Article 8) and Child Abuse (Article 10).</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">New York State Family Court Act 254 Subsection (b) </span>says:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"(b) In all cases involving </span><b style="background-color: white;">abuse</b><span style="background-color: white;">, the corporation counsel of the city of New York and </span><b style="background-color: white;">outside the city of New York, the appropriate district attorney</b> <u><b style="background-color: #ffd966;"><i>shall be</i> a necessary party</b></u><span style="background-color: white;"> to the proceeding.</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">That means that in all child abuse proceedings that happened in Delaware County over the 20+ years when Hubbard was a criminal prosecutor Hubbard was also officially, by law, a party to those child abuse proceedings, which ABSOLUTELY, as a matter of law, disqualifies him from presiding over the same proceedings (often lasting for years) as a judge.</span></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">Delaware County voters - when you vote in November, you might be advised to take this into account. </span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-51095389451509456242022-07-16T10:39:00.003-07:002022-07-16T10:39:50.075-07:00Delaware County (NY) judicial candidate John Hubbard MUST PUBLISH for the voters his family tree by consanguinity and affinity up to the 6th degree to determine percentage of cases from which he will be disqualified by law<p><span style="font-size: large;">A County judge in Delaware County also carries out the duties of the Family Court and the Surrogate Court's judge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The salary of such a judge - based on the published salary of the recently-retired judge Richard D. Northrup, Jr., whose vacated place is now up for elections - is $210,893.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUqqOSXLUIPwafDjMcQ0Z6yRBpYGBTAbiCsgZm1y0DbKrqBzCYNCeuF8GicRHTTvNowKB7KWZ3aiA7UWrd3feiAnVnqeEjiAQ_Q1b5uK2RPqA2904C4kIQTYPjy6SnbXnVvNpcTTrxXwaK6glK1xiOHzWzoiL0Zrb115ryAdCkAuteMEKUIx2vFOW/s1187/northrup%202020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="1187" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUqqOSXLUIPwafDjMcQ0Z6yRBpYGBTAbiCsgZm1y0DbKrqBzCYNCeuF8GicRHTTvNowKB7KWZ3aiA7UWrd3feiAnVnqeEjiAQ_Q1b5uK2RPqA2904C4kIQTYPjy6SnbXnVvNpcTTrxXwaK6glK1xiOHzWzoiL0Zrb115ryAdCkAuteMEKUIx2vFOW/w661-h312/northrup%202020.JPG" width="661" /></span></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That amount is payable not by the state of New York, but <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">by Delaware County Taxpayers </span>- according to the New York State Family Court Act:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzqFe0mldEbIqctdTpJlrA8ZU66p73WQLa_ppIM6Atg7FL7veskiLawpvnzwqmQuXV2JL_ypdjBcclS-rraMn7Sh0hxaVOjVRgiM2R85ZPXKdAoo_IDKiHQhNBfNWMmqWTRhajgAa_AE003gYpdWEEyz8TZA_wH5k95Z9nXcTnsvlL6lFTdOKHoUC/s915/FCA%20judicial%20salaries%20on%20county.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="915" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzqFe0mldEbIqctdTpJlrA8ZU66p73WQLa_ppIM6Atg7FL7veskiLawpvnzwqmQuXV2JL_ypdjBcclS-rraMn7Sh0hxaVOjVRgiM2R85ZPXKdAoo_IDKiHQhNBfNWMmqWTRhajgAa_AE003gYpdWEEyz8TZA_wH5k95Z9nXcTnsvlL6lFTdOKHoUC/w678-h464/FCA%20judicial%20salaries%20on%20county.JPG" width="678" /></span></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, when you vote in Delaware County for who is going to be your judge, you need to think how often the judge will be NOT ABLE to discharge his duties because he is going to be prohibited to do that by law, and how often instead Delaware County will have to pay for services of an additional judge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">For the current judicial candidate John Hubbard, such a percentage may be staggering.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">New York State has a statute, <a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/judiciary-law/jud-sect-14.html">Judiciary Law Section 14</a>, containing ABSOLUTE prohibitions for judges to preside over certain cases.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"<span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">A judge </span><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fcff01;">shall not sit as such in, or take any part in the decision of, an action, claim, matter, motion or proceeding </span></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">to which he is a party, or </span></span></li><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">in which he has been attorney or counsel, or </span></span></li><li><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">in which he is interested, or </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">if he is </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>related by consanguinity or affinity</b></span><span> <span style="background-color: #ffa400;">to any party to the controversy</span> </span><b style="background-color: #fcff01;"><span>within the sixth degree</span></b></span><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">. The degree shall be ascertained by ascending from the judge to the common ancestor, descending to the party, counting a degree for each person in both lines, including the judge and party, and excluding the common ancestor. </span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">But no judge of a court of record shall be disqualified in any action, claim, matter, motion or pro</span><span face="Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">ceeding in which an insurance company is a party or is interested by reason of his being a policy holder therein. No judge shall be deemed disqualified from passing upon any litigation before him because of his ownership of shares of stock or other securities of a corporate litigant, provided that the parties, by their attorneys, in writing, or in open court upon the record, waive any claim as to disqualification of the judge."</span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">This article will deal with <i>only one problem </i>with candidacy of John Hubbard (the current District Attorney) for the position of a judge of the County, Family and Surrogate's Court in Delaware County New York, his likely mandatory disqualifications from an overwhelming number of cases because of his multi-generational familial connections in the area.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">John Hubbard is currently actively campaigning for the highly-paid position of a 3-bench (Family Court, County Court, Surrogate's Court) judge, giving away candy and American flags.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPfGNcNHU-qsBpfWrG8c3xGGpBjBJ0PWe9pUTgBXt8sGrMvY52CtHX2sCUg0_0X47CVG60shAbl5KoJzOiwWXZwNKATdmogD9QUW9SmA42cb4ZqE2eWMtGB5wnaVOgSHRz8fhJBMD6Szw3LsPvI65v9l74mPAPRk36pyA7reR33zlfvp0s-5Sr3cp/s2438/Screenshot_20220716-125240_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2438" data-original-width="1836" height="760" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPfGNcNHU-qsBpfWrG8c3xGGpBjBJ0PWe9pUTgBXt8sGrMvY52CtHX2sCUg0_0X47CVG60shAbl5KoJzOiwWXZwNKATdmogD9QUW9SmA42cb4ZqE2eWMtGB5wnaVOgSHRz8fhJBMD6Szw3LsPvI65v9l74mPAPRk36pyA7reR33zlfvp0s-5Sr3cp/w571-h760/Screenshot_20220716-125240_Facebook.jpg" width="571" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Recently, John Hubbard, to bolster his election stance, he has also provided a very peculiar evidence, supposedly in support of his position as the county judge: a picture of the grave of his revolutionary hero relative who has supposedly lived in this same area a couple hundred years prior.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0pJq7tSSD6gPJsh3dcKEfiazxTcScxVKd7DTmOFR7_PoCoisIcf3ZWT5lFzytjw1Mdq6WCYQNKnfHjGbAr90bkPkc8eQGqizAxXNjjJC1RxM2woiRixoBIUUmVvHSemqykeUC1reeMzfldHYiI0T060v6Ypr3nkkeLLj3kO9s2HezA0xd-qODVB4/s1069/John%20Hubbard%20about%20his%20hero%20relative.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="1069" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0pJq7tSSD6gPJsh3dcKEfiazxTcScxVKd7DTmOFR7_PoCoisIcf3ZWT5lFzytjw1Mdq6WCYQNKnfHjGbAr90bkPkc8eQGqizAxXNjjJC1RxM2woiRixoBIUUmVvHSemqykeUC1reeMzfldHYiI0T060v6Ypr3nkkeLLj3kO9s2HezA0xd-qODVB4/w606-h178/John%20Hubbard%20about%20his%20hero%20relative.JPG" width="606" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2dTawxWkmllp37lD40zAKOJ1k1uFgSXhRm-o1Hh8Md49OAVjSxJhibjXGaxXyb8GtJW82I65uHzJlUYykplACLZmksdLjzK8kN9wiaKg8Rlv29-mSP-tpSGw0r9BofyamNgJabzefgmC83BLogi8SF7uTPgJG1-wBB1d7jt-2L8_nH4ucb7bdrjk/s879/FB_IMG_1657990301140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="552" height="654" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2dTawxWkmllp37lD40zAKOJ1k1uFgSXhRm-o1Hh8Md49OAVjSxJhibjXGaxXyb8GtJW82I65uHzJlUYykplACLZmksdLjzK8kN9wiaKg8Rlv29-mSP-tpSGw0r9BofyamNgJabzefgmC83BLogi8SF7uTPgJG1-wBB1d7jt-2L8_nH4ucb7bdrjk/w411-h654/FB_IMG_1657990301140.jpg" width="411" /></a></div><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">I guess, the blood of the revolutionary hero sings in John Hubbard's veins and this makes him qualified as a judge - by pedigree.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">The usual identity politics, nothing new here.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Yet, let us count, based on John Hubbard's own disclosure, how many generations of his ancestors (at the very least, there may have been more before the person buried under the shown grave marker) have lived in the area.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">John Hubbard describes David Ellerson as his "5X great-grandfather". So, it is 6 generations up.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Let us consider that Delaware County (and I lived there for 16 years, and knew, because of my husband's and my own profession, many people in the area) is a rural, woody and mountainous, poor, thinly populated, with scant population movement and, consequently, highly interbred county (the going characterization of the population in the Delaware County is that it is "the land of kissing cousins").</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;">Thus, going 6 generations up and down from John Hubbard in terms of blood relations (consanguinity) and marital relations (affinity) may result in a finding that John Hubbard, whose ancestors, as Hubbard has himself proudly demonstrated with the help of a picture of his revolutionary hero-ancestor's grave marker on his election campaign page - </span><b><span style="color: red;">may have</span></b><b><span style="color: red;"> an absolutely disqualifying familial relationship </span></b><span style="color: #666666;">through blood or marriages </span><b><span style="color: red;">with the absolute majority of the County residents.</span></b></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Don't you think that Hubbard owes its voters, instead of giving out candy, American flags and posing with his brilliant smile at different old-boy gatherings, to make a disclosure as to how much of their money will be wasted if they elect him - and to </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">PUBLISH his full family tree, up to the 6th degree of consanguinity and affinity up and down in age</span><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;">If he can't do it, even more so he can't be a judge - because taxpayers in the poor rural Delaware County will be then put into an untenable position of wasting their limited resources on a huge Hubbard's judicial salary and benefits, AND for Hubbard presiding over proceedings which may at any point in time may be pronounced VOID (as in: zero, nullity, never happened) because of his </span><b><span style="color: red;">absolutely prohibited as a matter of law</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"> familial connection to a party in the proceeding.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">will John Hubbard publish his family tree covering relatives in all disqualifying degrees of consanguinity and affinity?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Or will he continue to bamboozle voters with candy, American flags and his photo-ops?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijclNHJ_DEg3KGSfljrWXKb2QQ2XOSo8fWbzweHWFqgdpdliaHBUApGjFG9ciIujVkepsXQBHJyLnlvW1Ih6M0M-2K4v6ga268QUh3AI7uslO8mZpO4Wr_UNcqi36a_8EBi-XYr3mt01XTH01VrdvXkmhkD2fshQK7896BQhgTuIu4dppMGGkOYsVL/s2225/SmartSelect_20220716-125203_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2225" data-original-width="1845" height="712" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijclNHJ_DEg3KGSfljrWXKb2QQ2XOSo8fWbzweHWFqgdpdliaHBUApGjFG9ciIujVkepsXQBHJyLnlvW1Ih6M0M-2K4v6ga268QUh3AI7uslO8mZpO4Wr_UNcqi36a_8EBi-XYr3mt01XTH01VrdvXkmhkD2fshQK7896BQhgTuIu4dppMGGkOYsVL/w590-h712/SmartSelect_20220716-125203_Facebook.jpg" width="590" /></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IO8Fgg2SVnUpssLjm0keJjXmamiUPk4jITyhr2D4MOVIOJbBryqWeDEIp6Wj_Wtm1cWeGB-SQRiY1subiEOQBDJT4DW_FPPA0DRPk-qmMItW7Cs8xwH27hevjQOIk8M1yKFX4VTnGvSnvsXpukNvaVHWQ3NbRMKQEazesuBi9KlJcHpZr2m-KFM9/s2420/SmartSelect_20220716-125215_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="1846" height="818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IO8Fgg2SVnUpssLjm0keJjXmamiUPk4jITyhr2D4MOVIOJbBryqWeDEIp6Wj_Wtm1cWeGB-SQRiY1subiEOQBDJT4DW_FPPA0DRPk-qmMItW7Cs8xwH27hevjQOIk8M1yKFX4VTnGvSnvsXpukNvaVHWQ3NbRMKQEazesuBi9KlJcHpZr2m-KFM9/w624-h818/SmartSelect_20220716-125215_Facebook.jpg" width="624" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY16aS54rwPC4YtjK4aZCxS4l7vFeMdZSU85k6XDAajD3xch4Cd5rfV86OXvzB0M5xiNreuuESrPjyBnBrmy0G0Ye2-pz3Ckqfq5ogl9k6funW4LNd0nmWqxlLbQI4AJa7nILwQa9hkBFqkNHwvkZRnV5KtrtCHSiBScguJyl7eJiLb7kiQOiGH1A/s1846/SmartSelect_20220716-125255_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="1846" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTY16aS54rwPC4YtjK4aZCxS4l7vFeMdZSU85k6XDAajD3xch4Cd5rfV86OXvzB0M5xiNreuuESrPjyBnBrmy0G0Ye2-pz3Ckqfq5ogl9k6funW4LNd0nmWqxlLbQI4AJa7nILwQa9hkBFqkNHwvkZRnV5KtrtCHSiBScguJyl7eJiLb7kiQOiGH1A/w640-h634/SmartSelect_20220716-125255_Facebook.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6hZmFmNL_cwk9KjoYeIHbyLuyU02t0pwFLx2lElq-tluNxrOsTeNyWikIxDl9-6ABZ0BWQzgEq8iCxlHIaA2EtMunahaM1o0qJKadF_HQOhvQwHLF7WOEF4TFUU2qRmmOi_O8H5AmgdcjxoE8EWWKiKD-DpARA3RJUtdHvBvsqWW6hdYSm3wqo9L/s2450/SmartSelect_20220716-125316_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2450" data-original-width="1842" height="839" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6hZmFmNL_cwk9KjoYeIHbyLuyU02t0pwFLx2lElq-tluNxrOsTeNyWikIxDl9-6ABZ0BWQzgEq8iCxlHIaA2EtMunahaM1o0qJKadF_HQOhvQwHLF7WOEF4TFUU2qRmmOi_O8H5AmgdcjxoE8EWWKiKD-DpARA3RJUtdHvBvsqWW6hdYSm3wqo9L/w632-h839/SmartSelect_20220716-125316_Facebook.jpg" width="632" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-n8rIQAbAo3tbyZhA7_XyVLub14Nw6u5hrEC8LcZ9oBCTr7IItHkTc0FMV2KMdWkkmCwxEfRIAFrlO6doDe5WZaTofxUnPMSsRTiQmG-yG7ltA38qBBfRGaKJKurEFdkdkpopwPrDrqHYP4tVN2CsjEDsGy2sl0fZ5Wq-IKYCssm88dJKI-F4gj9/s1968/SmartSelect_20220716-125338_Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="1847" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-n8rIQAbAo3tbyZhA7_XyVLub14Nw6u5hrEC8LcZ9oBCTr7IItHkTc0FMV2KMdWkkmCwxEfRIAFrlO6doDe5WZaTofxUnPMSsRTiQmG-yG7ltA38qBBfRGaKJKurEFdkdkpopwPrDrqHYP4tVN2CsjEDsGy2sl0fZ5Wq-IKYCssm88dJKI-F4gj9/w630-h672/SmartSelect_20220716-125338_Facebook.jpg" width="630" /></a></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-n8rIQAbAo3tbyZhA7_XyVLub14Nw6u5hrEC8LcZ9oBCTr7IItHkTc0FMV2KMdWkkmCwxEfRIAFrlO6doDe5WZaTofxUnPMSsRTiQmG-yG7ltA38qBBfRGaKJKurEFdkdkpopwPrDrqHYP4tVN2CsjEDsGy2sl0fZ5Wq-IKYCssm88dJKI-F4gj9/s1968/SmartSelect_20220716-125338_Facebook.jpg" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="1847" height="685" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-n8rIQAbAo3tbyZhA7_XyVLub14Nw6u5hrEC8LcZ9oBCTr7IItHkTc0FMV2KMdWkkmCwxEfRIAFrlO6doDe5WZaTofxUnPMSsRTiQmG-yG7ltA38qBBfRGaKJKurEFdkdkpopwPrDrqHYP4tVN2CsjEDsGy2sl0fZ5Wq-IKYCssm88dJKI-F4gj9/w642-h685/SmartSelect_20220716-125338_Facebook.jpg" width="642" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv-tmXBi9X1kV9sOXHno8gjamSNNDCdVV-FMMWuRMiwwvej6xdi6vNpZUi2QpMm2DtywTf82tcUz1lSO-H1OOt8vFXeYDCU71AvnsjvjExr9aoxhtUW62CqSQUcynVysW35D7ceH_eKV8U45noFDB3WZMdMFU9y4skz3tbSK5L1grzqafEYhaJ0p2/s1847/SmartSelect_20220716-125352_Facebook.jpg" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1847" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv-tmXBi9X1kV9sOXHno8gjamSNNDCdVV-FMMWuRMiwwvej6xdi6vNpZUi2QpMm2DtywTf82tcUz1lSO-H1OOt8vFXeYDCU71AvnsjvjExr9aoxhtUW62CqSQUcynVysW35D7ceH_eKV8U45noFDB3WZMdMFU9y4skz3tbSK5L1grzqafEYhaJ0p2/w644-h493/SmartSelect_20220716-125352_Facebook.jpg" width="644" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBGId-lfrT1uARYsBmOeIdU0JD3FYWCr0UrPTg6MYyi2IBAiGYr3FDqOQR1y1Upy-Gi00fxpXTTkwxxqVcjMzpDZTl-w5OBMfnBC9TJez1fYYvjXCt6dktiJjjNuP55fWX6aFJ1K7kyfxq3x_dP4bQAueYYomwZ3CCS7v8MRCWuHpsjTE29GMxRFs/s2215/SmartSelect_20220716-125426_Facebook.jpg" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2215" data-original-width="1847" height="766" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBGId-lfrT1uARYsBmOeIdU0JD3FYWCr0UrPTg6MYyi2IBAiGYr3FDqOQR1y1Upy-Gi00fxpXTTkwxxqVcjMzpDZTl-w5OBMfnBC9TJez1fYYvjXCt6dktiJjjNuP55fWX6aFJ1K7kyfxq3x_dP4bQAueYYomwZ3CCS7v8MRCWuHpsjTE29GMxRFs/w639-h766/SmartSelect_20220716-125426_Facebook.jpg" width="639" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">By the way, the same disqualification problem may exist for the already sitting judge, Gary Rosa, also a multi-generational native of Delaware County - who is also in no hurry to publish his family tree and enlightening parties in front of him about his mandatory disqualifications.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The ONLY way Judiciary Law 14 will be meaningful and have the intended protections for the public is that all judges and judicial candidates are required to publish their family trees to the 6th degrees of consanguinity and affinity - so that the public may readily see where the judge is prohibited by law to preside over a case, making any decisions in such a case void.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Since this is a highly paid and powerful public office, any expenses for putting together such a family tree shall be on the judge or judicial candidate, and the law must be introduced that nobody may be punished for requesting such a family tree or for challenging its authenticity.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">For problems with Hubbard's likely or, rather, 100% positive disqualification based on other 3 mandatory bases listed above (being a party, and attorney for the party and having an interest in litigation), I will publish more articles before elections, so stay tuned. </span></p></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-89581533397033671792022-05-01T14:24:00.002-07:002022-05-01T14:24:48.458-07:00Andrew Van Buren, the cowardly, dishonest, alcohol-loving and DESPERATELY GREEDY "breath of fresh air" in Delaware County (NY) judicial elections<span style="font-size: large;">In April 2022 a new judicial candidate has announced of his run for the seat of Delaware County (NY) County/Family/Surrogate's court judge, a position that pays $210,000 a year.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Andrew Van Buren.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_C7FcVdD178GjQLtVPnbKeZsQlUg_xMuXS1cPTzpHeF6FrdABZF4CZBnhLAou81grkJfZ_eLCTBtpAhyCO4IxvvptLHuTF94A59vaR4_KIUrUFXt3SpEsf7E_vreVSpQkqIJDe_wcP9cychOMYncLI2vCDp5dsTt5kvS0HRqVg6nd62Ft0hZqsMsO/s951/andrew%20van%20buren%20parties.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="951" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_C7FcVdD178GjQLtVPnbKeZsQlUg_xMuXS1cPTzpHeF6FrdABZF4CZBnhLAou81grkJfZ_eLCTBtpAhyCO4IxvvptLHuTF94A59vaR4_KIUrUFXt3SpEsf7E_vreVSpQkqIJDe_wcP9cychOMYncLI2vCDp5dsTt5kvS0HRqVg6nd62Ft0hZqsMsO/w613-h172/andrew%20van%20buren%20parties.PNG" width="613" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I have explained in my <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2022/05/more-on-disinformation-of-voters-as.html">earlier articles</a> on this blog why you won't hear from currently practicing attorneys anything negative about this judicial candidate.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, I will oblige - because, after seeing this ridiculously dishonest <a href="https://www.the-reporter.net/stories/hobarts-vanburen-launches-delco-court-judge-campaign,84070?fbclid=IwAR0N_wcoEQftiKYFzo2rLXuSeu7FQDzMKMzcwG4egGZNHaOSDrp7NUyx6ps">piece of self-advertising by Andrew Van Buren in The Walton Reporter</a>,</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/s1950/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1950" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/w644-h272/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" width="644" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I cannot and will not remain silent. Voters have a right to know who and what this candidate is.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I know this candidate since 1999, I know him through social settings (he used my husband as his mentor until he switched to become Judge Carl F. Becker's messenger boy), I worked with him on the same cases as an attorney, and I know him as a dishonest and mean drunk who has no place on the bench.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Delaware County has known enough dishonest judges and enough dishonest mean drunks on the bench without Van Buren be added to this cohort.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It is true that Van Buren - same as the other candidate, John Hubbard - has an extensive litigation experience, and has his share of cases that he won, like any lawyer does.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">But, a County Court judge in Delaware County is a multibench judge, and his main caseload will be in Family Court where he will rule as a sole fact-finder, without a jury, determining the fate of people's custody to children and in cases where people's custody of children, employment and a vast range of other rights are implicated, child abuse and neglect proceedings.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A Family Court judge has a tremendous power, and must be even-tempered, and not prone to petty vengeance. That is not who Andrew Van Buren is.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. The coward who sells friends for money</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">"A breath of fresh air" is a phrase Andrew Van Buren likes to use.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He used it characterizing me once, in an interesting setting.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He lived in my husband's home while going to law school.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">My husband helped his family member a lot.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">My husband was mentoring Van Buren and teaching him trial skills. Van Buren was calling my husband frequently for - free - consultations, which were always given, just to set a background of relationships with our family.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren recommended me to the licensing authorities to be admitted for the practice of law.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Then my practice of law started.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I was in the courtroom of Judge Carl F. Becker, it was sometime in 2009.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I was representing a client in a child neglect case. I have made a motion to recuse Becker from presiding over the case as an attorney who represented the Petitioner for 27 years and will rely on his personal out-of-court knowledge and not the evidence presented, in assessing credibility of his personal friends.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Becker denied the motion, I continued to make objections in court.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Becker told me "close your mouth, Mrs. Neroni". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I stood up and objected against Becker treating me in such a manner and moved to recuse for actual bias against me that will reflect on my client.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Andrew Van Buren was one of attorneys present in these proceedings.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He remained silent, looking into his desk, head down.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">After court, he caught up with me outside of the courthouse and told me that </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">I am "a breath of fresh air", supposedly much needed for the County, and that, </span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">as to my motion to recuse Becker as having represented the local DSS for 27 years before coming to the bench, "everybody knows it, but nobody says it".</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;">To that, Van Buren added - but, "don't burn your bridges, Tanya".</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I did not realize at that time that it was a threat, and a threat communicated from Becker. I still considered Van Buren at that time not just a colleague, but a family friend.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Little did I know that Andrew Van Buren, to survive financially and get assignments in Family Court, has become a messenger boy for that same Judge Carl F. Becker.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In 2011, Andrew Van Buren came to the house of his mentor of many years, my husband, bringing to him a personal threat of criminal prosecution from Judge Becker, a completely bogus threat. I was present when he voiced that threat to my husband - "if you don't do this and that, I will have you criminally prosecuted."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Note that Becker was not a county DA at that time. Northrup (Becker's friend) was. So Becker could not possibly "have" anybody criminally prosecuted, unless his friend Northrup would go along with his request for fabrication.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Note that in 2009, after I have made that motion to recuse Becker, Becker used his other corrupt friend, DSS Commissioner Moon, to fabricate a child neglect case against my husband and myself, trying to hurt our young child and us, prosecuted by a yet another Becker's friend, Porter Kirkwood, who also ran for the judicial position with Becker's endorsement.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, Becker by that time has ALREADY fabricated a case with the help of another friend, a child neglect case, against us (which may have resulted also in criminal charges had it played out as Becker wanted it to).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">We won it - after over a year in litigation.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Even the child's assigned counsel (out of Binghamton) told us that it was "small town politics", and supported us in fighting it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">DSS/Moon has fired a young attorney who rebelled against this fabrication as a political case, later settled and had that attorney move away across the state.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Note that BEFORE that threat, I have asked the current judicial candidate and then Chief ADA John Hubbard to criminally prosecute Becker for being an impostor and not a judge and for forging documents relating to his election in March of 2011.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Hubbard did not tell me that he was Becker's prior law partner who bought Becker's law practice and law office and was put into the ADA position by Becker, but refused to prosecute him.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Note that in May of 2011, Hubbard, instead, threatened my husband "not to burn bridges" (exactly as Van Buren threatened me in 2009, before Becker fabricated a child neglect case against us with his friend Moon).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">That was when my husband filed an assigned appeal in People v Carbone, raising the issue of corruption of Becker and Northrup (having a blind man sign, without knowing, a waiver of civil rights litigation against Becker and Northrup for extrajudicial confiscation of his money and car). My husband did not take that appeal back and was disbarred, based on bogus claims.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Note that at the end of June, 2011, I have SUED Becker in state court on behalf of a 3rd party, my husband and myself.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Andrew Van Buren knew all of that. Because we told him this information, as a longtime family friend.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how much of it Van Buren communicated directly to Becker, in exchange for assignments in family and criminal court.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And, knowing all of that, he came into his mentor's home in July of 2011 bearing a threat from Becker that Becker will fabricate a criminal charge against my husband. Van Buren told us directly that it was Becker's request he was carrying out.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He did not tell the judge that he will not be serving as his messenger boy.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He did not tell the judge that it is illegal to threaten a person who just sued you and whose wife just asked to criminally prosecute you as an impostor, with a yet another fabrication - after Moon's fabrication failed.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />He did not tell the judge to bring his threats that had nothing to do with his judicial duties - on his own.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He caved in and worked as a messenger boy for the corrupt judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As a contemptible coward that he is.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Because this was his Judas price to get assignments from Becker, at $75 an hour, in criminal and Family Court cases.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">But that was not all.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">2. Deliberate deception of voters</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The next year, in 2012, when Becker ran for re-election, Van Buren, knowing full well, who and what Becker is, wrote THIS:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT4vXwQGsnzpAz85AgVEHXkImos5XbBIAXGb03PbViyWM8RaB2B5sINKSfN-j4EbenhBKBLe03xQ863QMAjcuto3tvayk1gmE7SGpZpb7spgzxFuo_4KXqZAZuYtSPbIQKjARmksZ6DokCYHSu_Fga_kSR2RmOu7apmb1oCSQk1J9qFHqF9tUDCGm/s1651/van%20buren%203.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="1572" height="659" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT4vXwQGsnzpAz85AgVEHXkImos5XbBIAXGb03PbViyWM8RaB2B5sINKSfN-j4EbenhBKBLe03xQ863QMAjcuto3tvayk1gmE7SGpZpb7spgzxFuo_4KXqZAZuYtSPbIQKjARmksZ6DokCYHSu_Fga_kSR2RmOu7apmb1oCSQk1J9qFHqF9tUDCGm/w628-h659/van%20buren%203.PNG" width="628" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWDmJosH85OOy1Phte9vHN7vTTq45bqU0lOS5poR8spTwf-zmKZxE-3t9j5vHv6CX1cf4c7F2fh2Q7GgqA3eMiw2OAsPk7BEedFAzXDiizfkSA5RoUAo78Uj_3UoVkX_9wQgUzKNP7LLVX2wNfZ9thrcRktdRaGVprWVqSUClL4J-98iS9d0krG83/s1576/van%20buren4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1576" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWDmJosH85OOy1Phte9vHN7vTTq45bqU0lOS5poR8spTwf-zmKZxE-3t9j5vHv6CX1cf4c7F2fh2Q7GgqA3eMiw2OAsPk7BEedFAzXDiizfkSA5RoUAo78Uj_3UoVkX_9wQgUzKNP7LLVX2wNfZ9thrcRktdRaGVprWVqSUClL4J-98iS9d0krG83/w683-h346/van%20buren4.PNG" width="683" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Knowing that Becker - VICIOUSLY - avenges criticism of his misconduct, Van Buren preferred to DECEIVE Delaware County voters by falsely praising a judge he knew was a criminal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">"In my experience, Judge Becker gives attorneys and litigants, alike, an opportunity to be heard (even when the time for doing so is limited). His decisions are fair, well-reasoned, and thoroughly researched. His sentencing decisions reflect the interests of the community and also a measure of compassion for criminal defendants".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren said that, knowing that Becker was a mean petty drunk who was the most reversed judge, probably, in the Delaware County's history, <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2014/04/is-it-time-to-impeach-judge-carl-f.html#.Ym7QnbrMKDw">here is the list of just some of his reversals</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren knew that Becker shut down attorneys' objections and did not let them make their arguments in court.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">He knew that Becker DID NOT research his cases - that's why he was the most-reversed judge.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">He knew that Becker's sentencing decisions served the career and financial interests of his own and of his friends Northrup, Moon and (then-County Attorney) Spinney, and nobody else's.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, Van Buren knew that he will not be disciplined for FALSE PRAISE - only for criticism of a judge, no matter how fair.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And - HE LIED TO VOTERS, lied with authority, based on his years of experience appearing in front of Becker.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, Van Buren IS the one who arranged, through his DELIBERATE DECEPTION OF VOTERS, for saddling the County residents with another term of 10 years of Becker's tyranny (good that the "fair and reasonable" Becker ran from the office in 2015 chased by the FBI, the New York State Commission for judicial conduct and the State Comptroller's office).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">3. Disorderly conduct arrest</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Van Buren's unruly behavior was reported back in 2002 when he was arrested for disorderly conduct and littering in front of his client's house.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bnb6DTvYnPgiibnh3eoxMTr2dgDtiPk4zVy2GsFCeuGfZ-b7uHhfwiqnwUZSFKYXNYlRkO_AZlgaDm8yW1K3lrbWO-xKW5td6D_8VfBggOfDskzEbnJu308PyFlniSQq8tRs8ydVFldQqt2JfixTpZbdB1hQ_sRZHq12WWtmcuzx8RTRmwpAUq_1/s1571/van%20buren%20arrest1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1571" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bnb6DTvYnPgiibnh3eoxMTr2dgDtiPk4zVy2GsFCeuGfZ-b7uHhfwiqnwUZSFKYXNYlRkO_AZlgaDm8yW1K3lrbWO-xKW5td6D_8VfBggOfDskzEbnJu308PyFlniSQq8tRs8ydVFldQqt2JfixTpZbdB1hQ_sRZHq12WWtmcuzx8RTRmwpAUq_1/w584-h524/van%20buren%20arrest1.PNG" width="584" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrQfvDicpYFzt2lDeaST-Wkzq6pc_pJWycZkOhf9JA3YZNsttKi92JDVeyiZJ7Rp8fid1cdQfrzuxQobwoHWhBhHmfgVvIpaPYp3n6AKheiqheT-P8uJtMEaOm84kQZOXV-Awn3juUjvqnLhkAiDqBlFDbH_qVRePRCjR6qbH8AYfpfgkfU5cKo37/s1291/van%20buren%20arrest2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1164" height="707" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrQfvDicpYFzt2lDeaST-Wkzq6pc_pJWycZkOhf9JA3YZNsttKi92JDVeyiZJ7Rp8fid1cdQfrzuxQobwoHWhBhHmfgVvIpaPYp3n6AKheiqheT-P8uJtMEaOm84kQZOXV-Awn3juUjvqnLhkAiDqBlFDbH_qVRePRCjR6qbH8AYfpfgkfU5cKo37/w639-h707/van%20buren%20arrest2.PNG" width="639" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBD0IksnWBJ6SvYDsleg8XtjfWOdKJz4mh3_bibhM6jy4nil7lPM3jw8yXlh1ePV9QR90gKQA0XgoPeA33IybJiqCHTyUe5h8bF0vXnW7EsKntXMHsoBu9fOlhQe-0Q14BHPpO9m1LyP0zojD_b6ry41gAJqXKWSTwIWfx5yUUXHreRsqi4DgvIF7/s986/van%20buren%20arrest3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="986" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBD0IksnWBJ6SvYDsleg8XtjfWOdKJz4mh3_bibhM6jy4nil7lPM3jw8yXlh1ePV9QR90gKQA0XgoPeA33IybJiqCHTyUe5h8bF0vXnW7EsKntXMHsoBu9fOlhQe-0Q14BHPpO9m1LyP0zojD_b6ry41gAJqXKWSTwIWfx5yUUXHreRsqi4DgvIF7/w579-h542/van%20buren%20arrest3.PNG" width="579" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Dishonesty with clients, attorneys and courts and GREED, GREED, GREED again</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Greed Case # 1. Extorting attorney fees from a cancer patient and victim of his client's stone theft</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometime in the early 2000s, when I have just got married to a Delaware County resident, attorney Frederick J. Neroni, and came to live there, my husband had an interesting case against Andrew Van Buren's client.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The case was well publicized at that time, and I am sure many people who lived in the area at the time would remember it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">A woman (my husband's client) was diagnosed with cancer and came to live in our area, charmed by its peace and tranquility.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, Andrew Van Buren's client interfered with that piece and tranquility by starting to steal stones from a historical stone wall on her property.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">What was even more atrocious was that Andrew Van Buren moved for a summary judgment against my husband's client, asking the court to award his client's (thief's) attorney fees owed to Van Buren - against the victim of the theft, the property owner and a cancer patient who his client robbed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do remember that the presiding judge, I believe, it was Michael V. Coccoma, was so upset about what Van Buren did that he</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/ granted to my husband's client a REVERSE summary judgment ON THE COURT'S OWN MOTION, when my husband was not even asking for it; and</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">2/ banned Andrew Van Buren from his courtroom.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I remember how Andrew Van Buren called my husband and left a drunk insulting message on our answering machine about it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The only reason he did what he did was GREED, he wanted his fee no matter what and no matter who he was going to squeeze that fee from.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Greed Case # 2. Desperately trying to get paid for representing opponent of Van Buren's own former client in the same case</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Children custody trials are emotional, drawn-out, involve a lot of detailed evidence and a lot of witnesses, and courts usually give plenty of time to prepare for such trials - because of all the above.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Imagine the situation.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a custody trial for a client scheduled for the next day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Suddenly I receive a call from Andrew Van Buren telling me that he represents the opponent in that case now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">That was NOT how the law requires attorneys to get substituted.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was an attorney of record in that case (attorney Zilbert, as far as I remember), substitution of attorneys must be done - by law - through a NOTARIZED consent to change attorneys, which Andrew Van Buren DID NOT obtain from the opposing party and DID NOT file with the court.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Quite recently before that Judge Burns (presiding judge in the custody case) chastised in court attorney Renee Albaugh for claiming to be attorney of record in a divorce case and making motions in that case, while failing to file a proper substitution of attorneys and, thus, not being attorney of record.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, Andrew Van Buren was NOT an attorney of record in the case at the time he claimed he was representing my client's opponent.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I call my client and I notify him that a claim is made that Andrew Van Buren will be representing his opponent at the tomorrow's trial - and he calls me back immediately, quite upset, telling me that Andrew Van Buren was HIS attorney in the SAME case (custody cases take a long time, sometimes years).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do believe it was greed - Andrew Van Buren charges an arm and a leg for representation at trials, and he needed money, so he pretended that he "forgot" that he is opposing his own former client in the same case where he represented him on the same issue.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren dishonestly took the case out of greed, hoping that it will slide through, and nobody will remember.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, his client did remember, and objected, and I wrote to Andrew Van Buren on my client's behalf.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is our e-mail exchange (I've blacked out the names of clients). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The year was 2013 - after Andrew Van Buren has shown us his true colors as the corrupt Judge Becker's racketeer messenger boy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyBGZW1EB0I8zApen2SNtfVY4prYLNtdxSKHyZoOHmQo0TmmIBmBHrvXTLO4b0p5M51ST7dV1i_hyX81RgHEbgtZO8H4OnIwRyRo4QZkh6RSc89-PCoy9dN4Tjdc-qO-EVj9t3-fn1NlU6tBizpWn4SUyNRqO2rkP2_EgznKD3_qhnLEACB_7D1Qk/s2455/Van%20Buren%20client%20trick1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="2455" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyBGZW1EB0I8zApen2SNtfVY4prYLNtdxSKHyZoOHmQo0TmmIBmBHrvXTLO4b0p5M51ST7dV1i_hyX81RgHEbgtZO8H4OnIwRyRo4QZkh6RSc89-PCoy9dN4Tjdc-qO-EVj9t3-fn1NlU6tBizpWn4SUyNRqO2rkP2_EgznKD3_qhnLEACB_7D1Qk/w595-h390/Van%20Buren%20client%20trick1.PNG" width="595" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Y2VVhFWTTa35AZZUFTHisLfJk222ImFCyt5rWsqA32XnnVmiXzF6uPsnpLgCvcz9Zh-LwbKswX8qi0TZkrCPaGQCQm29zX9j8WQuP5bCTZ1HS_4X-RaEaobtZN9HJ6hd8xRO3ng8vA_Zkc4ERfQYewqMJLyObPr0Fif8_nB9JEOZFYvG8T0ZDGu-/s1695/van%20buren%20client%20trick2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1695" data-original-width="1650" height="583" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Y2VVhFWTTa35AZZUFTHisLfJk222ImFCyt5rWsqA32XnnVmiXzF6uPsnpLgCvcz9Zh-LwbKswX8qi0TZkrCPaGQCQm29zX9j8WQuP5bCTZ1HS_4X-RaEaobtZN9HJ6hd8xRO3ng8vA_Zkc4ERfQYewqMJLyObPr0Fif8_nB9JEOZFYvG8T0ZDGu-/w568-h583/van%20buren%20client%20trick2.PNG" width="568" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">What was wrong with Andrew Van Buren asking for an adjournment?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Everything was wrong about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">First of all, he was not yet an attorney of record in the case - never was, and can't ask the court for anything.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Second, he cannot be an attorney of record for the opponent since he represented my client in the same case before, and can't ask the court for anything that is against my client's best interests.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As I said above, there was plenty of time given by the court for trial preparation, there was PLENTY of work done by me preparing for the trial, work that was already billed, per hour, to my client, and my client very reasonably objected to any adjournment at the 11th hour, especially for the bogus reason that his opponent fired previous attorney and hired HIS OWN INITIAL ATTORNEY, and then, after his attorney's conflict of interest was revealed, claimed an adjournment that she was not otherwise entitled to.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A good trick, wasn't it?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Here is what I wrote to Van Buren on the subject:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9dWdrVlqnZYTr3uJYiGyvwkdrHhgES0Yn61NQgyF3boQhcKdrDz7383S74fyH9lM7Xswml3WrylCDh8vFyCZYcdWP1I87ZL8sjJ11xauhe8n5kBQFA7S78n1p5rcwXjj_uPbBB8Z2R41UvBjI5yhtbKJ2N8ul5Kg3dsLkxNMSc7ANcmJPerOnm-L/s2411/van%20buren%20client%20trick3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2411" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9dWdrVlqnZYTr3uJYiGyvwkdrHhgES0Yn61NQgyF3boQhcKdrDz7383S74fyH9lM7Xswml3WrylCDh8vFyCZYcdWP1I87ZL8sjJ11xauhe8n5kBQFA7S78n1p5rcwXjj_uPbBB8Z2R41UvBjI5yhtbKJ2N8ul5Kg3dsLkxNMSc7ANcmJPerOnm-L/w634-h303/van%20buren%20client%20trick3.PNG" width="634" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And that is when Andrew Van Buren EXPLODED - consider THAT piece for an assessment of this judicial candidate's "judicial temperament":</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBR27d4dwWYg8B8EoE2g7MlIGaKDWmYjHAyY3PmxuYfeVgdkrpUdwHOEN0G5c5H8v8vA7xvHxb2yKvvZCMSFLIn-tyZsSUiU7iwNRunnStp2tO2G10SSV58nV7zkFQq2fm49RDkp4iJRs4Lt7Vk-XuZOo04-xPXy9phUzUBnakicfiFShjq5LcjTH/s1630/van%20buren%20client%20trick4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="1352" height="698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBR27d4dwWYg8B8EoE2g7MlIGaKDWmYjHAyY3PmxuYfeVgdkrpUdwHOEN0G5c5H8v8vA7xvHxb2yKvvZCMSFLIn-tyZsSUiU7iwNRunnStp2tO2G10SSV58nV7zkFQq2fm49RDkp4iJRs4Lt7Vk-XuZOo04-xPXy9phUzUBnakicfiFShjq5LcjTH/w578-h698/van%20buren%20client%20trick4.PNG" width="578" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was obviously afraid that I will sue him on behalf of his client - which his client had an obvious right to do, and it would not have been a "malicious way to practice law", but his former client's right.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Note that all I asked was for Van Buren to just step aside COMPLETELY and not ask the judge for ANYTHING on behalf of his new client (opponent of his former client in the same litigation), because THAT REQUEST WAS ILLEGAL AND UNETHICAL - twice, coming from an attorney who was not an official attorney of record, and coming from an attorney who was opposing his own former client. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Note that I did not threaten Van Buren with any referrals, complaints or lawsuits.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I simply asked him to not ask the judge for any adjournments, since he had no right to represent his own client's opponent in the first place, for any reason.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Note that Van Buren tries to pretend that he cares a lot about Judge Burns "coming from Cooperstown" to preside over the case, only to "have to adjourn it". </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Know what? He didn't have to adjourn anything, since Van Buren was instantly replaced by another attorney, and the trial did happen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">But, Van Buren just tried to have the case adjourned on false pretenses - possibly, trying to keep a part of the (likely giant) fee that he unlawfully charged his client.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">How is that about honesty and temperament of a judicial candidates, dear voters?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here is what Andrew Van Buren told me when I called him out on his tantrum.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDG-XkCF3ogWJZG4GhQiwfG9zIe4Nm3dVy-TiKS4QQ5Zvltcx257WfGj6aBsmNC9gitLgaiG03Std1wPYT8fAQ1rmW8sTOR61A8X1Qs56vuCQBDI0T00IGsFo0HNKEJhSi0ij2ole0vrz-gOzyemUwD7NSeyhgbY-LoXW306wZLU8RHTqWKI3r-4v/s2400/van%20buren%20client%20trick5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="2400" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDG-XkCF3ogWJZG4GhQiwfG9zIe4Nm3dVy-TiKS4QQ5Zvltcx257WfGj6aBsmNC9gitLgaiG03Std1wPYT8fAQ1rmW8sTOR61A8X1Qs56vuCQBDI0T00IGsFo0HNKEJhSi0ij2ole0vrz-gOzyemUwD7NSeyhgbY-LoXW306wZLU8RHTqWKI3r-4v/w612-h350/van%20buren%20client%20trick5.PNG" width="612" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3CAIbHITgZ78IQePhooqtsV80xvoq3EUteyYo-4oX7znirAqXkk9qtXI1P2zK4w0ILaOqm9ulM5ZG4HZXJPPY_U9KbEw2SWlrAIAtTj80ARsJaqXtHREgASq1AjJCXqOuV0MCJZvMzoOglkRNXExXj_UHavCzc36LKTApwlcV9JHTKA_anhSSK7-/s1778/Van%20Buren%20client%20trick6.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1778" height="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3CAIbHITgZ78IQePhooqtsV80xvoq3EUteyYo-4oX7znirAqXkk9qtXI1P2zK4w0ILaOqm9ulM5ZG4HZXJPPY_U9KbEw2SWlrAIAtTj80ARsJaqXtHREgASq1AjJCXqOuV0MCJZvMzoOglkRNXExXj_UHavCzc36LKTApwlcV9JHTKA_anhSSK7-/w589-h549/Van%20Buren%20client%20trick6.PNG" width="589" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">See?</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He "always" apologizes "when it is warranted". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Once again, the summary of the story.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A certain client FIRED Andrew Van Buren and, after other previous attorneys, hired me.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I prepared for trial for my client.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Andrew Van, angry at his client for firing him, designed a costly revenge for his client.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren allowed his client's opponent to hire him, charged her a trial fee (not less than $10,000, and that is a conservative estimate, as far as I know Van Buren's fees), and tried to derail his former client's trial.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">When caught red-handed, he started to accuse the attorney who simply asked him not to act against his own former client, of all kinds of - non-existing - mortal sins and refused to apologize, because I am not worth the apology.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>GREED CASE #3 (and that's only what I know of, over a short period of time). Cika v Kellner</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A contractor did a remodeling job in a house. The homeowner refused to pay.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I sued on behalf of the contractor. Van Buren represented the homeowner.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren moved to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming that it is subject to a mandatory arbitration agreement.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I opposed the motion and won, so the case was retained by the court.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I filed discovery demands with Van Buren, he did not comply.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The judge (Lambert) called a discovery-pretrial-settlement conference. My client did not want to settle, and especially when Van Buren's client did not comply with discovery demands.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Before the pre-trial conference, Van Buren told me that his client is not paying him (like he did not pay my client for his work). At the conference Van Buren started to pressure me into settling the case on terms favorable to his client - and demanded that my client's must pay Van Buren's attorney fees for OPPOSING my client's lawsuit.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I refused.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren became verbally abusive.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I requested the court attorney (Oursler) handling the conference to put audio recording on (it was in the Grand Jury room where audio recording equipment was installed at that time). Oursler refused.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren continued to berate me at the top of his lungs for not settling the case and accusing me and my client of non-existing misconduct.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the conference I was crying, shaking, my hands were trembling, and I went to a colleague to at least have a witness of my condition after the conference.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I DID turn Andrew Van Buren into attorney discipline for his behavior in this Greed #3 case. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Being a diligent Becker's student and knowing that by that time Becker has fabricated a child neglect against us (we won a dismissal), a disciplinary case against my husband (he was disbarred) and a disciplinary case against me (still pending at the time), Van Buren decided to fabricate more - with Becker's help.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He complained against me that I FALSELY accused Van Buren of misconduct at the conference, that it was I, and not him, who derailed discovery in the case, and that I was "improperly" refused to settle (and, obviously, to agree that my client must pay Van Buren's attorney fees).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren claimed that Oursler (who refused to audiotape Van Buren's misconduct) will testify against me as to what was happening in the conference, and that Becker will also come to testify against me on Van Buren's behalf.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">That was a year after Van Buren praised Becker during his election campaign to voters and 2 years after he parlayed Becker's threat of (fabricated) criminal prosecution to my husband.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Apparently, Van Buren revealed that he was in a very close friendly relationship with Judge Becker if Becker would agree to come testify on behalf of Van Buren against me. So much for "I am not beholden to anyone".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/s1950/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1950" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/w644-h272/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" width="644" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In response to Van Buren's fabrication, I pointed out his misbehavior in the conflict of interest Greed #2 case, and THEN Andrew Van Buren LIED EVEN MORE, now to the court - the court never disbarred him for that though (I wonder, why, probably, Becker asked for him).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">While Van Buren claimed to me - see e-mail exchange above - that, oops, my mistake, missed conflict of interest, to the Attorney Grievance Committee/Appellate Court Van Buren said something completely different.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He said that he has </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">1/ an advance archiving system, PLUS a "court-approved" conflict-checking software!!!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Which only aggravated his misbehavior in the custody case. The only thing he needed to do was, without stepping into representation of his client, to CHECK his "advanced and court-approved" conflict-checking software and archive to see whether there is a conflict of interest - and say "no" to the prospective client.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">By the way, when Van Buren told me that "I am the breath of fresh air" (back in 2009) and berated Becker to me, possibly to get into my confidences ON BECKER's BEHALF, as his messenger boy, to get on the assignment list, at that point Van Buren told me that he actually has 11 disciplinary violations (not shown on his public record though, but that he acknowledged himself).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder what those violations are for.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Here is some of my responses to Van Buren's fabrication after he nearly caused me a heart attack or a stroke trying to get money from my client instead of his own non-paying client (as he usually does - since the stone wall case).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1393" data-original-width="1749" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmU9oLfsdcUm89PGikUFfL2mPn7Z9_S5oddWaZfM_fGcz3Bwsq2FhmBLagvEmDFLMTdtzt4K2c9dQKRpJzQ7C6V9NS5FEE82n6uhzjOvWgmF3ToeQob2pYzZENat5ZOj264ERFcKtlH3tNCISWmMZEWhkJUcnmob2A7ltchvgrxcZpgGxyjrKJE_AI/w677-h539/van%20buren%20inquiry%20archiving.PNG" width="677" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_W6fADHjr4B4RPIGapS5wHq7lwcwZxkIjRzClHxX-QSFWGMRctYllcvyRjQtZMZtQN2fOP1o5WQXIcFrMlTV4Nqinklf0jqBax_wRNHlKH1QOCr1LWMRwfh0wCl5_wDBFYp4--_XEqQvnH6D9Q3YiwK9oKFCkTmkxKgzuRU328XcBLaFIYPjI_wm/s1333/Van%20Buren%20inquiry%20discovery.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1333" height="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_W6fADHjr4B4RPIGapS5wHq7lwcwZxkIjRzClHxX-QSFWGMRctYllcvyRjQtZMZtQN2fOP1o5WQXIcFrMlTV4Nqinklf0jqBax_wRNHlKH1QOCr1LWMRwfh0wCl5_wDBFYp4--_XEqQvnH6D9Q3YiwK9oKFCkTmkxKgzuRU328XcBLaFIYPjI_wm/w627-h619/Van%20Buren%20inquiry%20discovery.PNG" width="627" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would like to point out one very important point. Van Buren did not only try to (knowing that I was under severe stress, when my husband lost his law license due to Becker's and 2 other local sons-of-judges' fabrication, when Becker was after me with sanctions after I sued him for misconduct, when I carried a huge caseload, my husband's and my own, and supported a minor son, who we had to transfer to an out-of-state private school to save him from harassment of Becker's pocket social services department) rattle me to the point of a heart attack - simply to shake money out of my client because his own client did not pay his fees and, thus Van Buren did not want to do discovery or proceed to trial, not being paid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Van Buren also falsely claimed to the disciplinary authorities that it was I, his victim, who falsely accused him, and he is ready to provide testimony for that of Judge Lambert's court attorney Oursler (never provided), the one who refused to audiotape Van Buren's tantrum, and ready to provide testimony in Van Buren's support of Judge Becker - who was not in that courtroom, but was obviously ready to testify against me no matter in what case.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Moreover, Van Buren tried to claim that it is I who was in need of a "psychological evaluation" - because I did not want to have my client pay for Van Buren's greed, obviously.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqzjdd6-oba_1cNBh_HXlFkqW13gX4tr_js-yROYhZfmLPD8EZ4_fJO9J1Wf5VS4DeS-m2IXFLgaqmonp-ONHXhfLzbpfztsOy6Y87pzKUkNyTlrWI7jkDQwLoGr8pM_NchQaf7nxsBmvMT5mFgcYcfdVEIGOMGoAa7iWoccWP_ZuIznSfS4P0pfl/s1685/Van%20Buren%20asking%20for%20my%20psychological%20evaluation.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="1685" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqzjdd6-oba_1cNBh_HXlFkqW13gX4tr_js-yROYhZfmLPD8EZ4_fJO9J1Wf5VS4DeS-m2IXFLgaqmonp-ONHXhfLzbpfztsOy6Y87pzKUkNyTlrWI7jkDQwLoGr8pM_NchQaf7nxsBmvMT5mFgcYcfdVEIGOMGoAa7iWoccWP_ZuIznSfS4P0pfl/w589-h541/Van%20Buren%20asking%20for%20my%20psychological%20evaluation.PNG" width="589" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Z43Wdz7s_yjZD_Q_oQzKMHy-nnH9kThYNLgVoBwYL13NEsr1TXR95futP_5cnHyl_4LixRWcx9R3Ik2qjP8gKXYnSEavZ_EIXEIfQG7NpCJ49BB36I1SXm4Xkd36e8dQfxvdio-mvNt7D61mrcUSxAa8DfbUDh42q_DYRja7PuXmD4scNP9hn99/s1822/Van%20Buren%20psychological%20evaluation2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1822" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Z43Wdz7s_yjZD_Q_oQzKMHy-nnH9kThYNLgVoBwYL13NEsr1TXR95futP_5cnHyl_4LixRWcx9R3Ik2qjP8gKXYnSEavZ_EIXEIfQG7NpCJ49BB36I1SXm4Xkd36e8dQfxvdio-mvNt7D61mrcUSxAa8DfbUDh42q_DYRja7PuXmD4scNP9hn99/w865-h281/Van%20Buren%20psychological%20evaluation2.PNG" width="865" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It would be a suicide act for Delaware County voters to give this vengeful, greedy and mean drunk who already tried to create fabrications and "diagnose" his opponents as psychos - authority to COURT-ORDER, under the threat of "contempt of court", jail time and fines, psychological evaluations.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">He will do it to people out of pure personal revenge.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>===</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, dear Delaware County voters.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I wrote a lot of things criticizing John Hubbard. I think he is a very bad candidate for a judge, and I stand by my word.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I will post separate articles about John Hubbard's qualifications to become a judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, one BIG negative factor John Hubbard definitely lacks, as compared to Van Buren.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">GREED to instantly start getting the judicial salary of</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> $210,000 per year.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Andrew Van Buren </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">overcharges the private clients he happens to catch, so private clients are rare - so he resorts to trying to claim attorney fees against his client's opponents, like he did in the stone wall theft case, like he did in Cika v Kellner's case.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Or, he desperately tries to get hired even by his former client's opponents in the same case and hide it hoping that he won't be caught red-handed.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Van Buren otherwise subsists on assigned cases, which pay not much, and only at the end of the case, so he has no cash flow in between, which is bad, especially when you are raising growing children close to college age.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTptlW7ac93eAQhYdcSeY5g7SABhm24ip3saG3trEBLIq4wSU9rvqsPyaTglcjori-ZWTSvaE3gTgJ58uezydyxgLITDtSLV7Mz-hwT_fUaUJnvni9tloepzp8N9gFjs91uO1GoxCUSAkOU3m0U2O43UP85csV7wg67UrFuYz31UgijgM_aJdY__f/s2373/andrew%20van%20buren%20photo%20campaign.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2373" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTptlW7ac93eAQhYdcSeY5g7SABhm24ip3saG3trEBLIq4wSU9rvqsPyaTglcjori-ZWTSvaE3gTgJ58uezydyxgLITDtSLV7Mz-hwT_fUaUJnvni9tloepzp8N9gFjs91uO1GoxCUSAkOU3m0U2O43UP85csV7wg67UrFuYz31UgijgM_aJdY__f/w615-h344/andrew%20van%20buren%20photo%20campaign.PNG" width="615" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren's opponent in judicial elections, DA John Hubbard's salary at this time is $201,000.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, at least one can say about Hubbard that a puny salary increase of 4% cannot be considered as motivated by greed - which is, quite obviously, Van Buren's case.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Do you want a judge who is drunk, mean, vengeful and desperately greedy, with a history of outrageously unethical behavior dictated by greed?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Do you want a judge who would drive a woman to a blood pressure hike behind closed doors, arrange with his buddies not to preserve evidence and then claim that what happened behind those closed doors was exactly the opposite to what his victim claimed?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Just for greed?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Just for personal vengeance? </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Will you feel SAFE with such a judge behind closed doors?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/s1950/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1950" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9RCgAvbBfw3xUi2GSuSAKvx2YnFxnwedzy1KEmZszjqufbjYbzt3f8l0ZaqS0ve06YViENZJ3p90SGRRctUC563HlxzVBBpRAsm8hJ0cFIkQEc9H6qDbwcdof3G7mKIWqO3r3kbsgeLC0sD98Faz_szpTLDYB8O9SVsP308Hs95wfTP8EP18UdG_/w644-h272/van%20buren%20fresh%20air.PNG" width="644" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">Respect for justice;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">committed to the concept of impartial justice;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">exudes respect and empathy for his fellow human beings;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">will hold all in his courtroom to the highest standards of ethics and the law;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">will make sure that our county court system works first and foremost for us, the people</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">represents people, and represents a breath of fresh air.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">These are all arrogant LIES.</span></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Did I also mention that Van Buren is not only mean, and is not only dishonest, and greedy, and vengeful, but is a dishonest, greedy, mean and vengeful DRUNK? </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I have personally smelt alcohol on his breath, at a distance, in court, on many occasions, and I know Andrew Van Buren since 1999, and came to court regularly since that time accompanying my husband first, and then on my own, as an attorney.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Reportedly, he did not stop drinking since we left Delaware County in 2015. If anything, his drinking has reportedly become worse.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">My contacts in the County tell me they see Van Buren, increasingly unkempt, and with increasingly greater number of beer 12-packs.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc1dBKyGKtqPgS-L1AkhbOQWbQ91XEDcSFSxcaH_SWHRINmOqXvOkBLmS4jwHBs_KwkYwIMx7b_o17AxtIam9rCO2v_cGbE0HwVjiOrSHuWGLHdIycXePJ_4OWcvvy8asKKxWtWfbyLFgTam-lWjF37gmsACerKG91vhr_YJBuoaOXAs7Qc3uNHL2/s1816/van%20buren%20drunk.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1517" data-original-width="1816" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc1dBKyGKtqPgS-L1AkhbOQWbQ91XEDcSFSxcaH_SWHRINmOqXvOkBLmS4jwHBs_KwkYwIMx7b_o17AxtIam9rCO2v_cGbE0HwVjiOrSHuWGLHdIycXePJ_4OWcvvy8asKKxWtWfbyLFgTam-lWjF37gmsACerKG91vhr_YJBuoaOXAs7Qc3uNHL2/w606-h506/van%20buren%20drunk.PNG" width="606" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">He looks like a cow chewed him and then spat him out.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">A big contrast with the unfailingly clean-cut John Hubbard.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qin3OWs_Rzt2v9DEDFwIKYVERX9kbZIkJNw6JDgkZlj_V4GnLviQEWYdkv0rAyiTt9RTPRHe0iUnUbFPtr5B1l5FWDBxwVSX2R8Cj-iTv92nhL2flKWj1PXdDQQ-wd_Do44cU0NYESIQU5RaFDBr1utGuCh36Xxs-oiBJRtW4n3e8v3-G_Ck7pGx/s1440/john%20hubbard%20elections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qin3OWs_Rzt2v9DEDFwIKYVERX9kbZIkJNw6JDgkZlj_V4GnLviQEWYdkv0rAyiTt9RTPRHe0iUnUbFPtr5B1l5FWDBxwVSX2R8Cj-iTv92nhL2flKWj1PXdDQQ-wd_Do44cU0NYESIQU5RaFDBr1utGuCh36Xxs-oiBJRtW4n3e8v3-G_Ck7pGx/w596-h448/john%20hubbard%20elections.jpg" width="596" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Will you vote for an unethical, dishonest, petty, vengeful, mean drunk with a history disorderly fraudulent conduct who is a danger to women behind the closed doors of unrecorded court conferences - which he will be able to hold aplenty if he becomes a judge?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Would you want to find yourself on the receiving end of a forcible psychological evaluation each time you point out his - inevitable - misconduct?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And note - audio and video recordings are not allowed by court rules in the courthouse.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Van Buren knows it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And he has a history of using it in his fabrications, and had, as an aid in his fabrications, Judge Becker, the notoriously corrupt judge. While claiming now to voters that he is "independent", "for the people" and "not beholden to anybody".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qIxh8tekv5-xzTDPTJGxuTfs09kz-T3U__X-2Mj9omkGp7SM-9JqcXy3oJa00tjHm0erwLt5TsrVlPrqPdlj1K1vBOxIebg91ZX9SvC8EWwRoDl3vSSj3xpU4M2o_GpK7mrsQBLQcbTEjh53LDUpF-ruIWHE6qDlpteCHAI0-v-MLLZDENOQbzkd/s1685/Van%20Buren%20inquiry%20preservation%20of%20evidence.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1685" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qIxh8tekv5-xzTDPTJGxuTfs09kz-T3U__X-2Mj9omkGp7SM-9JqcXy3oJa00tjHm0erwLt5TsrVlPrqPdlj1K1vBOxIebg91ZX9SvC8EWwRoDl3vSSj3xpU4M2o_GpK7mrsQBLQcbTEjh53LDUpF-ruIWHE6qDlpteCHAI0-v-MLLZDENOQbzkd/w654-h468/Van%20Buren%20inquiry%20preservation%20of%20evidence.PNG" width="654" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As a judge, his fabrications will only become worse and have greater impact upon people.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Do you want such a judge?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Your call.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-6319848181996630862022-05-01T10:14:00.001-07:002022-05-01T10:14:31.351-07:00More on disinformation of voters as the government's condition to practice law and to become a judge in New York and in the US<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A lot is being said lately about "disinformation", "misinformation" etc.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The current US President even created a Disinformation Governance Board - conspicuously, </span></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">during midterm elections to Congress campaign, </span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">when Democrats' disastrous policies on many matters are driving the country's economy off the cliff, </span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">when Democrats have a reasonable fear to lose their majority in the House, and</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">when there is a possibility that social media giants will not be able to control information going to voters about political candidates in leftist lockstep - like it happened in 2020 (because of a rich "bad boy" Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter).</span></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Little does an average New York State voter knows though that disinformation/misinformation of voters is and has long been the main LICENSING REQUIRMENT of all New York State attorneys.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Here is proof.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffa400; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This was the state of things <b>in 1880</b>:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">“No class of the community ought to be allowed freer scope in the expression or publication of opinions as to the capacity, impartiality or integrity of judges than members of the bar. They have the best opportunities of observing and forming a correct judgment. They are in constant attendance on the courts. Hundreds of those who are called on to vote never enter a court-house, or if they do, it is only at intervals as jurors, witnesses or parties. <b><span style="color: red;">To say that an attorney can only act or speak on this subject under liability to be called to account and to be deprived of his profession and livelihood by the very judge or judges whom he may consider it his duty to attack and expose, is a position too monstrous to be entertained for a moment under our present system</span></b>,” Justice Sharwood in Ex Parte Steinman and Hensel, 95 Pa 220, 238-39 (1880).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #ffa400;">This is the state of things <a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2018/2018_06708.htm"><b>in 2018</b></a></span> (a NY attorney "temporarily" suspended for criticism of a judge in 2018 - and remains suspended until now):</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 38.4px;">"As to charges 4 to 6, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; text-indent: 38.4px;">respondent accused the court of blatant political bias and corruption</span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 38.4px;"> and disparaged his adversaries. As the Referee found, "<b><span style="color: red;">[n]either the Code nor the Rules</span></b> 'obligates,' much less <b><span style="color: red;">permits, a lawyer to chastise a judge for what the lawyer speculates is corrupt political behavior on that judge's part </span></b>in presiding over a matter or to effectively threaten the judge that he would be investigated by the Office of Judicial Conduct and the Department of Justice unless he reversed his opinion. Yet Respondent did so repeatedly."</span></span></p><p style="text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">(And, before this case, there were many more cases providing for the same: the lawyer may not exercise his client's 1st and 14th Amendment right to criticize a judge to obtain federal constitutional right of impartial judicial review, it is a "hanging offense" and a professional suicide for a lawyer, notwithstanding that ensuring that their clients' constitutional rights are observed by the government may be the lawyer's professional duty - as Justice Sharwood stated in 1880).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And, criticizing judicial bias and corruption is a hanging offense for a lawyer in New York notwithstanding the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court has, without authority, granted absolute immunity <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/435/349/">for MALICIOUS AND CORRUPT CONFUDCT IN OFFICE to themselves and to all American judges in 1978</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Where there is immunity from lawsuit for corruption, there will be rampant corruption, and there is. Remember the phrase - "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely"?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But, the most knowledgeable witnesses, expert and factual witnesses, of this corruption and/or incompetence of judges, lawyers, are gagged by the convenient self-serving rule of their regulators, judges, requiring lawyers, as the main condition of keeping their licenses and livelihood, TO NOT INFORM VOTERS OF LACK OF QUALIFICATION OR INTEGRITY OF JUDGES AND JUDICIAL CANDIDATES:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz5pslzimNAD2Tdj0T9KF929isodchTiNcSxwkGNVYyhndLnu2Tvrfaj0S6qsb_jzaTUs_pY1GBl84NrqXXI__Er7TX9jMM_GYyB_w4dPFWaOFoFzr_D8CDN5luHKP4_hBKYLoXdwtPT8SWoFU5CUX62kJxPmnqz1-8uao5J47HZ4sL7q_hSlZfGj/s1320/rule%20of%20qualification.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="1320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz5pslzimNAD2Tdj0T9KF929isodchTiNcSxwkGNVYyhndLnu2Tvrfaj0S6qsb_jzaTUs_pY1GBl84NrqXXI__Er7TX9jMM_GYyB_w4dPFWaOFoFzr_D8CDN5luHKP4_hBKYLoXdwtPT8SWoFU5CUX62kJxPmnqz1-8uao5J47HZ4sL7q_hSlZfGj/w651-h240/rule%20of%20qualification.PNG" width="651" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, this little rule is completely unlawful from many points.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. The rule is unconstitutional</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The rule violates the 1st Amendment of the Federal Constitution (which the creators of this rule, New York judges, have sworn to uphold, each and every one of them).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The rule is a very obvious PRIOR RESTRAINT OF POLITICAL SPEECH aimed at information flow to voters regarding certain political candidates, based on the content of that information.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Such prior restraints on speech are PRESUMPTIVELY unconstitutional (according to a long string of US Supreme Court precedents). Of course, that same US Supreme Court refuses, as a matter of policy, for half a century at least, to address unconstitutional discipline of lawyers based on this rule.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/11-210#writing-11-210_OPINION_3">United States v Alvarez, in 2012</a>, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that even false statements may be constitutionally protected, and that this margin of error is necessary for the democracy to exist.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, in the above quoted disciplinary rules created by New York judges for New York lawyers the ability of lawyers to practice their profession is CONDITIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT on LYING BY OMISSION to voters, NOT INFORMING THE VOTERS of what the lawyer may witness of judicial misconduct and misconduct of judicial candidates. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is obvious from the Matter of Giorgini quoted above (decision made in 2018, 6 years after and in defiance of Alvarez, 2012) that New York courts are interpreting this rule in their own favor and consider ANY criticism of a judge by a lawyer as "false" and punishable by professional death.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. The rule is made as a matter of self-interest of the regulator</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/574/494/">a profession regulated by its own members without outside neutral regulator, may be violating federal civil and criminal antitrust laws</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That is a cherry on the cake that the American judiciary would not want to see or apply to its own rule over American attorneys.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is very obvious that NO PUBLIC OFFICIAL, elected or appointed to represent and act in the best interests of the people and drawing a salary funded by taxpayers, may act IN HIS OWN SELF-INTEREST.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, the rule above is exactly that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The New York judiciary has legislated (in violation of federal and state requirement for separation of powers) that people may only represent other people in court on a condition that they will keep mum about misconduct of judges and other attorneys (who may become judges in the future).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">This is behavior of organized crime</span></b>, it is obviously illegal.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Note that for some interesting reason the rule does not prohibit lawyers to criticize any other members of the government or candidates for political offices - other than their own regulators, judges.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Parallel system of adjudication of what is a false statement against a judge or judicial candidate</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">How can it even be proven that a lawyer has made a supposedly false statement of fact against a judge or judicial candidate?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, if laws would be followed, then the judge or judicial candidate must SUE the lawyer for defamation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You know how far this lawsuit will get?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Not very far, for sure.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because, for over half a century already, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that political figures suing for defamation have an elevated burden of proof.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">They must prove NOT ONLY that the statement was false, but that ALSO it was made with a deliberate malice - an impossible standard to meet in cases of political criticism.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, if judges or judicial candidates SUE lawyers participating in political process and giving to voters negative information about judges and judicial candidates that they have acquired (like Justice Sharwood said back in 1880) by constant attendance in court and by observing that same misconduct every day - they get nothing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Their case gets dismissed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Even if the case DOES NOT get dismissed, judges who sue for defamation will expose themselves to discovery, depositions under oath, a trial in front of jury, with embarrassing cross-examination in open court.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">NOPE. Judges do not want to be treated equally with any other person claiming that he/she was defamed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And, judges do not want to be subjected to THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF JUSTICE, the court system - knowing very well how it works.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Instead, judges in the State of New York (and across the country, too) invented for themselves a "separate court system" where rules of defamation and the 1st Amendment does not apply.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">They will simply "rule" without any cross-examinations or discovery that whatever the lawyer said in criticism of a judge is bad (not necessarily false) because the lawyer IS NOT ALLOWED TO CRITICIZE A JUDGE for "political bias or corruption" - see Matter of Giorgini again.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">==</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Moreover, the judiciary has lobbied an dragged into the New York State Constitution and the New York State legislation a requirement that only those people CAN BECOME JUDGES who were "IN GOOD STANDING"/LICENSED by judges for a certain number of years.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Given that the main condition of being "in good standing" with judges is lack of criticism of those same judges for misconduct in office, political bias and corruption - when a judicial candidate tells voters that he/she has "practiced law" for so many years - that means automatically that he/she DID NOT CRITICIZE JUDGES, his/her own regulators, for misconduct that lawyer may know of, for that same number of years.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Also, when a lawyer publicly PRAISES a judge during the judge's re-election campaign, or praises a lawyer trying to become a judge during an election campaign - that may mean only that the lawyer is trying to get his place under the sun cozied up, and to protect himself and his clients from future potential judicial wrath.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing to do with the actual supposed good qualities of the judicial candidate.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Look how the leftists' darling John Oliver (he is not an attorney, and he is a leftist, so he is safe from such "disciplinary rules") <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poL7l-Uk3I8">criticized judicial elections </a>back 7 years ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Holding aside Oliver's political bias (nearly all supposedly bad judges in the video were Republicans) and lack of knowledge of the law (his discussion regarding Alabama Supreme Court judge Roy More and his stance that U.S. Supreme Court decisions are not part of the Supremacy Clause - they are not - and thus not Supreme law of the land), he makes many valid points about, let's say</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">perceived obligation of judges to rule in a certain way to get re-elected;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">judges hitting on lawyers for money to run their re-election campaigns, or attorneys hitting other lawyers for money to get elected as judges and then "work off" the money given - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caperton_v._A.T._Massey_Coal_Co.#:~:text=Caperton%20v.%20A.T.%20Massey%20Coal%20Co.%20Caperton%20v.,judge%20has%20an%20economic%20interest%20in%20the%20outcome">we know only about the most scandalous and egregious schemes that become public</a>;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">irrelevant virtue-signalling by judges to voters etc.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">THE MAIN PROBLEM with judicial elections and the quality of judges that we receive though, is:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">that we allow our state Constitutions and state laws to restrict us in who we elect as judges only to the member of the legal profession that is gagged by the judicial mafia into NOT INFORMING voters of the negative qualities of judicial candidates;</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">that we allow the judiciary to regulate lawyers, shooting ourselves in the foot and depriving ourselves, both as information as voters, and of independent representation in court.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The overhaul should be systemic - if we want justice and fairness in the courtroom.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Voters should not be restricted to judicial candidates with a badge of approval by judges - you only enter our brotherhood if you can prove you didn't criticize us for 10 years, this is ridiculous and mafia-like.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And, voters should not believe one word a licensed attorney says in praise of a judge or judicial candidate.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Knowing that this praise is extorted under the gun - praise me, fund my re-election campaign, or lose your profession.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Whenever you see the government trying to "help" voters to "fight disinformation" - know that the government is the exact opposite thing.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Informed voters are a danger to the well-established and well-entrenched "brethren" of different kind "serving the people" at the people's expense and, very often, to our detriment.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Let's at least LEARN and get to KNOW what is happening.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">You can't start thinking about how to fix the problem without first realizing what the problem is.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And the problem is - voters in judicial elections in New York and throughout the US are duped, by attorneys' silence and by attorneys' praise under the gun or in expectations of future favorable rulings from that judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">DO NOT ELECT LAWYERS (controlled by judges) INTO LEGISLATURES.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">TALK TO YOUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES to repeal restrictions that a judge may only be a lawyer, and a lawyer "in good standing" with judges for a ## of years.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">CAMPAIGN to repeal such provisions from your state Constitutions, as a restriction on your right to choose members of your own government.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And, short-term, while these laws are not repealed yet, of course, DO NOT BELIEVE MEMBERS OF THE MAFIA PRAISING THE MAFIA IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE MAFIA.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Seek out your own information, talk to people who appeared in front of judges, who hired that lawyer, look through forums, there is a lot of information available.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, I may have written about it before, but I will write about it again, and again, and again, until people understand what is going on and start campaigning to change it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">We need justice in our courtrooms, not mafia.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-1239756522069490392022-04-29T10:26:00.001-07:002022-04-29T10:26:30.288-07:00Separation of powers? Nah. Meet CONFLATION of power - and stupidity. A Family Court arrest warrant of a specified person, signed by an unknown judge, executed by an unknown officer, for an unspecified violation <p><span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday, New York State Delaware County Sheriff's Office has posted the following on Facebook:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe1g_21WOtrQYABM4jYnsTl9HkksFrVVv7d4EQN2JZEmmpavwPOYYcLmC7SPys6YORYyzxB6L2GikXGpoVSj1QoTba-JT2ipBc1DM3EWIzZ4suI5Cpp1Pf2_g6BU6ZrwZtcEG29-zzH3GqTq80pbIkl3MskUl2_OTABWzjhwwnHOtzhz433jo0yCt/s2904/delaware%20county%20sheriff.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="2904" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe1g_21WOtrQYABM4jYnsTl9HkksFrVVv7d4EQN2JZEmmpavwPOYYcLmC7SPys6YORYyzxB6L2GikXGpoVSj1QoTba-JT2ipBc1DM3EWIzZ4suI5Cpp1Pf2_g6BU6ZrwZtcEG29-zzH3GqTq80pbIkl3MskUl2_OTABWzjhwwnHOtzhz433jo0yCt/w640-h370/delaware%20county%20sheriff.PNG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Does anything seem wrong to you in what is described here?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because if it doesn't, it most definitely should.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Remember why we have separation of government powers into 3 branches?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I don't believe they teach that in schools clearly enough.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is because those "Founding Fathers" of ours DISTRUSTED integrity of the government and believed that, if the government is not constantly checked upon, the merged executive, legislative and judicial powers will become tyrannical.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The only thing is - their concept of separation of powers was incredibly naive and unworkable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Why?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If the three branches, when/if merged, become an omnipowerful tyranny, why would they be entrusted to "check and balance" on one another?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because instead of checks and balances - as we see again, and again, and again - we see that same MERGER of these three branches of power, producing tyranny.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Their separation exists only on paper.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now, let's see again why what Delaware County Sheriff posted is Exhibit A of what I have just said about merger of power and tyranny.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe1g_21WOtrQYABM4jYnsTl9HkksFrVVv7d4EQN2JZEmmpavwPOYYcLmC7SPys6YORYyzxB6L2GikXGpoVSj1QoTba-JT2ipBc1DM3EWIzZ4suI5Cpp1Pf2_g6BU6ZrwZtcEG29-zzH3GqTq80pbIkl3MskUl2_OTABWzjhwwnHOtzhz433jo0yCt/s2904/delaware%20county%20sheriff.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="2904" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe1g_21WOtrQYABM4jYnsTl9HkksFrVVv7d4EQN2JZEmmpavwPOYYcLmC7SPys6YORYyzxB6L2GikXGpoVSj1QoTba-JT2ipBc1DM3EWIzZ4suI5Cpp1Pf2_g6BU6ZrwZtcEG29-zzH3GqTq80pbIkl3MskUl2_OTABWzjhwwnHOtzhz433jo0yCt/w640-h370/delaware%20county%20sheriff.PNG" width="640" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Otsego County Family Court issues an ARREST WARRANT.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">For an UNSPECIFIED violation of the Family Court Act.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And, the Delaware County Sheriff obliged and arrested a man whose name they publish, John P. Blackburn, of Kortright, NY, based on that arrest warrant.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now, what is wrong about that?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Everything is wrong about that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">First, Family Court does NOT have jurisdiction over CRIMINAL proceedings, and, thus, should not be allowed to issue ARREST WARRANTS.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Arrest warrants are exclusively a feature of a criminal proceeding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If the New York State Legislature gave this power to Family Court judges (and it did), and the Family Court judges, instead of declaring it unconstitutional, use that power, and the Sheriff, instead of refusing to obey an unconstitutional Arrest warrant, goes ahead and arrests a person based on it - AND PUBLISHES HIS NAME IN THE PAPER, damaging his reputation and likely jeopardizing his job, his business relationships etc. - that is, ladies and gentlemen, a MERGER of powers, which results in TYRANNY, in its classical sense.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Lawlessness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Second, what kind of crap it is when a person's reputation is PUBLICLY damaged for an arrest for an "UNSPECIFIED" violation of something?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If you publish his name, do the next thing and disclose to the public, WHY, WHAT FOR.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If it is a secret (proceedings in Family Court are private), then, the arrest, is TWICE unlawful - because an arrest can be made only in a PUBLIC, criminal, proceeding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You publicize the person's name - you publicize the charge, no way around it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because privacy of Family Court proceedings were supposed to protect litigants/parties in such proceedings, not judges and not the police catering for such judges.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In this case, the Judge's name who signed the warrant is - UNKNOWN, the officer's name who arrested the person based on that warrant is _ UNKNOWN, but the person's name (who is the ONLY person whose privacy the Family Court Act must protect) is publicized.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">We don't know what he did wrong, but people don't get arrested for nothing, is the common line of thinking - isn't it?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, the GOVERNMENT officials who DID WRONG by issuing and executing this arrest warrant are protected, but the person whose privacy that same Family Court Act is supposed to protect - is exposed. Everything is topsy-turvy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Is this what we pay these idiots in the government, all 3 branches, for?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder when people start suing counties for such unlawful actions, and when County Attorneys will take their heads from where they are stuck now to figure out what kind of liability such "arrest warrants" put the County and its taxpayers into.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will try to get a copy of that arrest warrant through a FOIL request and let my readers know who was the judge who signed it and who was the officer who executed it. And what exactly the arrest warrant was for.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And THREE.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This announcement practically ACKNOWLEDGES what the government denies and lies to the public about.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Family Court proceedings ARE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS in their nature.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This arrest warrant is definitely not for "CIVIL" contempt of court (the only "civil" proceeding where arrests are allowed).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because in civil contempts of court the purpose of the arrest is COERCION, not PUNISHMENT FOR A VIOLATION of anything.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the arrest warrant was - as announced by the Sheriff's Office - "for unspecified VIOLATION of the Family Court Act", thus, a punishment, thus, a criminal proceeding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The U.S. Supreme Court has long ago stated that <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/372/144/">the government's claim that a certain proceeding is "civil" in nature is not the end of story, the proceeding may still be challenged and declared criminal in nature if certain factors are present.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Later on, the U.S. Supreme Court has simplified the analysis whether a proceeding is civil or criminal in nature and provided a very simple rule:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">if civil goals of the proceedings are THE ONLY goals of the proceedings - it is a civil proceeding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/490/435/">if civil goal of the proceedings are NOT the only goals of the proceedings, and the proceeding ALSO has a purpose of retribution or deterrence (punishment) - they are CRIMINAL proceedings.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">With all consequences of a criminal proceeding - requiring constitutional/procedural protections of a criminal proceeding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And that is the big secret that Delaware County Sheriff has let out in his - stupidly, unlawfully - faithful following of an illegal court order that the Sheriff has proudly and publicly announced on Facebook.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Family Court proceedings are CRIMINAL proceedings in their nature - and, thus, this particular arrestee is entitled to procedural protections in a criminal proceeding - which undoubtedly he will not be given.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is how tyranny works.</span></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-28645001044590809422022-04-29T09:36:00.003-07:002022-04-29T09:38:36.922-07:00News from Appellate Division 3rd Department on the unlawful salary of Gov Kathy Hochul, conflicted representation of NY AG Letitia James, incompetent unlawful behavior of NYS Comptroller and other exciting topics<p><span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division 3rd Department has issued a very interesting decision.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That can lead to stripping the current and former Governor and Lt Governor of the State of New York of a good chunk of their salaries, as unconstitutionally received.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here is the decision in full.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRneanftRnmCK4M9UIN46_PwWHPkj4gJjlPFzICmDSUValQRd_oxpK1zK7zsZimcimZ40VX-gDbygEOpitEve6NzutC4atCnnVzknrZ678vldCwiGB5fXUhcLdLy7L9pni5YMiMQMCnScwPqOyiTI1PMSJOQrIkCLa8h2b6QYjKU4XomUQ-Mfx-Qpn/s1804/hochul1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1804" data-original-width="1379" height="864" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRneanftRnmCK4M9UIN46_PwWHPkj4gJjlPFzICmDSUValQRd_oxpK1zK7zsZimcimZ40VX-gDbygEOpitEve6NzutC4atCnnVzknrZ678vldCwiGB5fXUhcLdLy7L9pni5YMiMQMCnScwPqOyiTI1PMSJOQrIkCLa8h2b6QYjKU4XomUQ-Mfx-Qpn/w662-h864/hochul1.PNG" width="662" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGNugsBnvNI9Loa-la-dMDDrQ-cz9vT1Fm75rN9H4at93sumc8FloE8-Wm8jDUcH_1heI27zSk0jkFF50Tf0qQ6NfIgw7op5prhzLNbzCnIYj685HwP_vsa5ZEJZZ3w1Nkw2FfqPxzsbwMZ3OjTzCkauvn2bJB1XeFJ__NWuPQPXTpfHFUAmeAE58/s1726/Hochul2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="1336" height="802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGNugsBnvNI9Loa-la-dMDDrQ-cz9vT1Fm75rN9H4at93sumc8FloE8-Wm8jDUcH_1heI27zSk0jkFF50Tf0qQ6NfIgw7op5prhzLNbzCnIYj685HwP_vsa5ZEJZZ3w1Nkw2FfqPxzsbwMZ3OjTzCkauvn2bJB1XeFJ__NWuPQPXTpfHFUAmeAE58/w622-h802/Hochul2.PNG" width="622" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggR_izLLj0Cavi1BSZkqpPV8nY-DTXBJjseYJOFgX9IftbA50VTairxbHhAS7Fwd4uZxzjIcDUIf2UbFucNkrtm44bRrJvAZnTUssWf_6dbcbbVSA3jqzUPnsFn5gXDsrn-8eVjLq1ZClioBcxybrckhHJaQRWCJ6Lj4Zxsgi5i5MSXFwDr1zHYS6-/s1758/Hochul3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="1360" height="799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggR_izLLj0Cavi1BSZkqpPV8nY-DTXBJjseYJOFgX9IftbA50VTairxbHhAS7Fwd4uZxzjIcDUIf2UbFucNkrtm44bRrJvAZnTUssWf_6dbcbbVSA3jqzUPnsFn5gXDsrn-8eVjLq1ZClioBcxybrckhHJaQRWCJ6Lj4Zxsgi5i5MSXFwDr1zHYS6-/w620-h799/Hochul3.PNG" width="620" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKbDvKWMrGhMbozaJcdk1_EKpyE50o1IrTy1lYSGZxar4caCmip3bMfMl6jMyx2tO7W3Ta3lfYzsWSQ2bhlDXhRid01dzSsCHAZJpk5etbRAR6D79PuF0K-0Gmrw5tW_EPjSk_HqVJrNF2gXXpoauwCF-e1hGkouX2tu-Ho9CbYMUmXRTKcizSBc_/s1735/Hochul4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="1398" height="779" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKbDvKWMrGhMbozaJcdk1_EKpyE50o1IrTy1lYSGZxar4caCmip3bMfMl6jMyx2tO7W3Ta3lfYzsWSQ2bhlDXhRid01dzSsCHAZJpk5etbRAR6D79PuF0K-0Gmrw5tW_EPjSk_HqVJrNF2gXXpoauwCF-e1hGkouX2tu-Ho9CbYMUmXRTKcizSBc_/w628-h779/Hochul4.PNG" width="628" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNHNHhjfCv_moX4Lpt3W01FtZwcD5U6bRiMkB_y8y8k7uu_12fbqImMJ4zWl7S1us1QANInFaiBdO-HIHdIcA-TEOQqfTFDysi2kCYd1T1_aZLaokeIz9411tcngg3Yb_qlAB137GqtY6dr0qV7Yl9G62SgNv7Cs6ZIAvQ4hT-JMS57PU5cw4Mpou/s1659/Hochul5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="1415" height="761" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNHNHhjfCv_moX4Lpt3W01FtZwcD5U6bRiMkB_y8y8k7uu_12fbqImMJ4zWl7S1us1QANInFaiBdO-HIHdIcA-TEOQqfTFDysi2kCYd1T1_aZLaokeIz9411tcngg3Yb_qlAB137GqtY6dr0qV7Yl9G62SgNv7Cs6ZIAvQ4hT-JMS57PU5cw4Mpou/w649-h761/Hochul5.PNG" width="649" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGFw-kr2LPwOusCDDDZ1KfvTREcMUeRhEf-mvBwdCPoDiAC-Sgdng22H28a3o4ed6RXUjtCAPRSUBIm_0HayTxBCGGeqNDNz0hhu5sYvWm5YMscEzXxszPzONtdM0BZX0qQOFtJC_gZJyQITmS-NHcKnEGiLoDBrDWv-49jU7RLWb66kICInAU21B/s2105/hochul6.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1724" data-original-width="2105" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGFw-kr2LPwOusCDDDZ1KfvTREcMUeRhEf-mvBwdCPoDiAC-Sgdng22H28a3o4ed6RXUjtCAPRSUBIm_0HayTxBCGGeqNDNz0hhu5sYvWm5YMscEzXxszPzONtdM0BZX0qQOFtJC_gZJyQITmS-NHcKnEGiLoDBrDWv-49jU7RLWb66kICInAU21B/w648-h530/hochul6.PNG" width="648" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">The decision leads one to raise interesting questions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">First</span>, State Comptroller took an oath of office to uphold the State Constitution.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The NYS Legislature's sweetheart declaration raising salaries of Gov. Cuomo and Lt Gov. Hochul mid-term THREE TIMES was contrary to the text of the New York State Constitution (a separate issue is what New Yorkers are paying, through their collective noses, to NYS Legislature's legal department that allowed this declaration to go through).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A trick question - what has prevented the Chief financial officer of the State of New York to "just say no" and refuse to obey an obviously unconstitutional order of the State Legislature?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">His career was more important than his oath of office, obviously.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Second</span>, note WHO represents the defendant who illegally paid out salary increases knowing they are unconstitutional (any accountant would have been fired for THAT, not for disobeying that unlawful order.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is the pre-eminent NY AG Letitia James who portrays herself on social media and in leftstream media that she is defender of New Yorker's rights and enforcer of the law (while OPPOSING New Yorker's civil rights lawsuits in court, see Pacer.gov).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here she also defend one violator of the law, a high-ranking violator, too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And three - TA-DA, and note that this comes from the court that is also an ATTORNEY LICENSING/REGULATING authority in that same area.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The interesting conundrum is that, by the licensing rules of the App Div 3rd, Letitia James should have been stripped of her law license a long time ago for representing people with conflicting, often, opposing, interests, in the same litigation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, App Div 3 calmly state in the decision that Letitia James may do just that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Why?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because EVERY SINGLE JUDGE of the App Div 3 is ALSO Letitia James client - and she will vigorously defend them if they themselves are sued for some unconstitutional behavior.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Reducing both the value of the oath of office that every single one of these "public servants" give - and the licensing rules of attorney ethics, exactly to 0.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Graft wins - every single time.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-9520066554982481792022-04-29T09:06:00.001-07:002022-04-29T09:06:25.022-07:003 times is a charm? 2 judges in a row in Delaware County, NY (and bosom friends, too) ran from the bench mid-term. Will the 3rd member of the team be as "lucky"?<p><span style="font-size: large;">In 2015, Delaware County/Family/Surrogate's Court judge Carl F. Becker, just 2.5 years into his 2nd, much coveted, term, suddenly "retired".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">While chased by the New York State Commission for Judicial Conduct, the State Comptroller and the FBI.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Witnesses report that what chased him from the bench was so bad that Becker would sneak out for lunch, withdraw cash at a Bank of Delhi ATM, cross the street to the Shire Pub and drink his lunch. Often.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I imagine how sad it is for the now-Delaware County public defender Joe Ermeti who has taken off his candidacy for the County Judge seat in 2012 to "allow his party to win" (that's what he said in an interview when he announced his candidacy in 2021) - when "his party's" candidate so ingloriously folded in just 2.5 years' time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Next.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In November of 2015 Becker's bosom friend Richard Northrup became the judge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In October of 2021 though, 6 years into his 1st, much-coveted, term, Northrup runs from the bench, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">From a $210,000 a year salary and tremendous power.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The only thing that usually gets them off is an imminent and likely threat of a criminal prosecution, and such a threat arises for judges only when they did something really, really, really bad. and only when the feds are chasing them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because otherwise - who would be chasing Judge Northrup? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">His bosom friend DA John Hubbard who refused to criminally prosecute for forgery, solicitation of forgery, filing false instrument and a number of other crimes - his former law partner Carl Becker when Becker forged the certificate of election for his 1st term, filing it, with forged signatures, 9 years after election when all proof of election was gone - and only after being challenged in a motion as being not a judge, but an impostor? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I personally spoke to Hubbard about the charges, and all he could bleat was - "why do you need that, Tanya"? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now Becker's former law partner John Hubbard is running for the same position (defense attorney Andrew Van Buren runs, too, but is unlikely to win, given the powerful support of the local establishment Hubbard is getting in these elections). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hubbard is part and parcel of the same team and, no doubt, had a finger in the same shenanigans that likely drove his two predecessors off the bench. I am personally aware of some of them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And, the eternal self-pushover-"for the party" Joe Ermeti has, once again, first announced his candidacy for the judicial elections in 2022, and once again took his candidacy off to let now John Hubbard go forward. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When he let Becker win in 2012 (and did a couple of other things, I will write about them in further articles of this series), he's got his current Delaware County Public Defender's position.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When he stepped aside for John Hubbard, he, reportedly, was offered a deal to get John Hubbard's position as the District Attorney (we will see if reports are true shortly).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder for how long Joe Ermeti's "sacrifice"-for-candy will last this time, for how long Hubbard will be able to keep on the bench once he grabs it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I have a funny feeling the FBI file on Hubbard is as long as for his previous loved bosses and mentors...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">We will wait and see, won't we?</span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-80709993734244697752022-04-22T09:56:00.001-07:002022-04-22T09:56:34.541-07:00On judicial elections in Delaware County, New York. Part I - Voter information on candidates, or lack thereof<p><span style="font-size: large;">At this time, as I see from the local press in Delaware County, New York, a judicial election campaign is raging in the county, for the coveted judicial seat of the Family/County/Surrogate's court judge (with an appendage of an Acting Supreme Court Justice), a position gaining </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">a good salary (see salary of the just-resigned Judge Richard D. Northrup Jr in 2020);</span></li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BznRyyHea8ATbKonfm-XSPzwy_hoMx09vQmPjhfFgcSANHLSo6J97DSF5vPkacXVq3OvRqh37YCeIeqtCFScc65N0PCl1ewB2X3GQfp5R9_54F213kwAgYfsog5Vn9QYffaOLRXClp4y2eOLh7Cw1FEIlAgJkiGNKzVTRHXgWnd7a5n-S6f2-Je0/s1719/northrup%20salary%202020%201.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1719" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BznRyyHea8ATbKonfm-XSPzwy_hoMx09vQmPjhfFgcSANHLSo6J97DSF5vPkacXVq3OvRqh37YCeIeqtCFScc65N0PCl1ewB2X3GQfp5R9_54F213kwAgYfsog5Vn9QYffaOLRXClp4y2eOLh7Cw1FEIlAgJkiGNKzVTRHXgWnd7a5n-S6f2-Je0/w630-h225/northrup%20salary%202020%201.PNG" width="630" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">an absolute power over the local people - their family integrity, right to custody of children, right to property, right to liberty - </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and, on top of that, a judicially given </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/435/349/"><span style="font-size: large;">absolute judicial immunity in civil lawsuits for crimes in office.</span></a></li></ul><span style="font-size: large;">So, the fight at this time in Delaware County is for a job almost too good to be true - and </span><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">especially in a county larger than many European countries, consisting of rural mountain wooded roads and with hardly any people (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_County,_New_York">44,308 people in the entire county by the 2020 census</a>) - an ideal place for safe and effective criminal trafficking of any kind (people, guns, drugs - you name it), and for profiting from that trafficking; and</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">especially when the alternative, being in private business, is very sad - the local law school has declared a couple of years ago that rural attorneys have no paying clients, <a href="https://www.albanylaw.edu/sites/default/files/centers/government-law-center/the-rural-law-initiative/Documents/rural-law-practice-in-new-york-state.pdf">are starving and are "eating a lot of spaghettis" to survive.</a></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Moreover, not discussed by candidates for such positions are some extremely interesting provisions of the Family Court Act (and a person running for the County Judge seat will also occupy the Family Court judge seat in Delaware County - as well as the Surrogate's Court judge seat).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">For example, that ALL EXPENSES of the Family Court judge - including his "non-judicial personnel", are put on the County taxpayers, and the County Board may grant or deny the judge permission to give to his friends and relatives various lucrative jobs.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnyfafn14qnFL_rX2nbjHF7gJavYmHkBagDA6EjjFkBaqGlqWuE9spWclCZWreiiyzi-aFZCTjULfsTF-bvMeNtT3httCJa9nCmhPJfzAx5BGFqX2Ti48MmltbxWjyDZlETD_JFHroFjhj581ayYmPRph-D3HFIqwQ26WeDovrCvc3QYAPg8drClH/s2263/Family%20Court%20Act%20120%20expenses.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="2263" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnyfafn14qnFL_rX2nbjHF7gJavYmHkBagDA6EjjFkBaqGlqWuE9spWclCZWreiiyzi-aFZCTjULfsTF-bvMeNtT3httCJa9nCmhPJfzAx5BGFqX2Ti48MmltbxWjyDZlETD_JFHroFjhj581ayYmPRph-D3HFIqwQ26WeDovrCvc3QYAPg8drClH/w641-h430/Family%20Court%20Act%20120%20expenses.PNG" width="641" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />And, the judge can have any and all such lucrative jobs - if THE COUNTY GIVES HIM THE FINANCES.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTt9MeQ888fIfPTTAX1kIlplgca5mfqnQb6qQoRVDzOA19Dn0J0SkB0QHgPVPFz3N7S9jj-XtZqkeT5Yi6MLyMkZ5F6-INMSqFPrrakiN3CUC6XcZ8Ef5RuBq7QxHMdGLQPXCEMlesK11GQOoIHX7dX38fN6DY6ofTUM0mTl8Kg8_mVDsXxW09LhZN/s2260/family%20court%20act%20253%20authorized%20appropriation.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="2260" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTt9MeQ888fIfPTTAX1kIlplgca5mfqnQb6qQoRVDzOA19Dn0J0SkB0QHgPVPFz3N7S9jj-XtZqkeT5Yi6MLyMkZ5F6-INMSqFPrrakiN3CUC6XcZ8Ef5RuBq7QxHMdGLQPXCEMlesK11GQOoIHX7dX38fN6DY6ofTUM0mTl8Kg8_mVDsXxW09LhZN/w607-h381/family%20court%20act%20253%20authorized%20appropriation.PNG" width="607" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Which means - Family Court judges in New York are put, by the legislators, quite literally, into the local County Board's pockets.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">While County Boards might not withhold salaries of the Family Court judge and his minimum personnel, they can control what kind of additional, "auxiliary", jobs the judge can give out to whoever he/she likes.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">And that is a very significant leverage over the judge, virtually destroying the judge's impartiality.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Voters should be aware of that - and should talk to their legislative representatives to end this legitimized corruption.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">==</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">When you shop for a service provider, you can get online or word of mouth reviews on that provider and make your choice.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">When you are making a very significant decision as to who to vote into the office of a County/Family/Surrogate's court judge - who you are vesting with the power to take you children away, temporarily or forever, to put you in jail, up to a lifetime, to take your property away - you have virtually no information other than gleeful blabbering of the candidates who, like car salespeople, are giving you the nonsense about their years of "faithful and honorable service" and that they never hurt a fly in their lives.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">For all that matters, candidates describing themselves to voters (as well as their political party supporting them) are people who cannot exist in real life - they are always flawless and beyond reproach.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Now, the most likely witnesses of negative character features of such candidates would be local practicing attorneys.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">After all, as a Pennsylvania judge has stated in the year 1880, 142 years ago, </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">"<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No class of the community ought to be allowed freer scope in the expression or publication of opinions as to the capacity, impartiality or integrity of judges than members of the bar. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They have the best opportunities of observing and forming a correct judgment.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;">They are in constant attendance on the courts. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="color: red;">Hundreds of those who are called on to vote never enter a court-house, or if they do, it is only at intervals as jurors, witnesses or parties</span></b>. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;">To say that an attorney can only act or speak on this subject under liability to be called to account and to be deprived of his profession and livelihood by the very judge or judges whom he may consider it his duty to attack and expose, is a position too monstrous to be entertained for a moment under our present system,” </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri;">Justice Sharwood in Ex Parte Steinman and Hensel, 95 Pa 220, 238-39 (1880).</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">But, much water has flown under various bridges over the last 142 years.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">And, now what Judge Sharwood considered "a position too monstrous to be entertained for a moment under our present system" is, instead, the standard of the legal profession throughout the United States, including the State of New York.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since now all attorneys in the United States - and in the State of New York - are licensed BY JUDGES, those same people whom, by Judge Sharwood's account, an attorney "<span style="font-family: Calibri;">may consider it his duty to attack and expose".</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">And, judges controlling attorneys through their licenses, not being complete idiots, invented the first rule of "attorney ethics" - prohibiting attorneys to, using their rights guaranteed by the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, criticize JUDGES OR JUDICIAL CANDIDATES.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, the rule is not exactly that - the rule is prohibiting attorneys to "make false statements" about judges or judicial candidates.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">But, the 1st Amendment protects such criticism, even if statements are false - which licensing judges do not care about, "canceling" attorneys left and right for such criticism.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Moreover, the judiciary has created several court or quasi-court systems - one for the poor, the other for the wealthy, a completely different system dealing with their own misconduct, and a system insulated from any laws usually used in civil or criminal proceedings, including form the U.S. Constitution where judges may take livelihood and licenses of attorneys for such criticism.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And where judges are interpreting criticism of attorneys of judges always as being false. Naturally.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">An attorney in Indiana counted, for example, in Pennsylvania, the percentage when judges considered criticism of themselves by attorneys as false and warranting discipline. <a href="http://disbarringthecritics.blogspot.com/2014/01/state-disciplinary-bodies-98-of-time.html">The percentage was 98%</a>, nearly 100%!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And the result of this gagging of attorneys was - the Kids for Cash scandal, when attorneys knew for years that certain judges were packing children away to juvenile prisons in exchange for kickbacks, so that the private management of those prisons would get enough money to run prisons from the county - and kept silent. Which resulted in a lot of grief for the children and 1 suicide of a child.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">But, until now this scheme continues to exist throughout the country and in the State of New York, and will exist unless voters call upon their legislative representative to change it. Which requires time, not enough time to prevent voting in Delaware County in 2020 to go according to the usual scheme, where attorneys are gagged and prohibited to give voters negative (even though truthful) information about judges and judicial candidates.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">There is a reason why there was an ancient Roman rule prohibiting anybody to sit in judgment of their own cases.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And, there is a reason why regulator of any state licenses should be neutral impartial and have no self-interest in the regulation.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Not in the world of the judiciary and attorneys regulated by the judiciary.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">As I said above, the first and main rule that the state regulator (judiciary) invented in regulation of licenses of attorneys (the main and best witnesses of judicial misconduct as per Justice Shawrood as of 1880) was to gag that criticism of themselves by severe punishment of often lifetime prohibition to practice the lawyer's profession if he/she dares to EDUCATE VOTERS about negative features of a judge or judicial candidate.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">In other words, judges in the US (and in New York) use their regulatory authority in a self-serving manner, for about a century now in the United States, and the main purpose of attorney regulation is to GAG WITNESSES OF JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT and prevent them from educating voters as to who they are putting on the bench.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Moreover, specifically in New York, voters are RESTRICTED in who they want to put on what bench.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">For example, in village courts judges - who rule over property and over criminal matters, having authority to issue arrest warrants and sentence people for up to 1 year in jail (per count, meaning - if there are several counts running consecutively, the village court judge may sentence a person for many years in jail) - do not have to have ANY education, at all. Nor a law degree, nor a law license.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Likely this aberration exists because positions of village justices do not pay much and thus are not so lucrative for the judicial/attorney mafia.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">But not so in Family Court, County Court, Surrogate's Court and Supreme Court, where salaries are already over $200,000 a year, with benefits and A LOT of additional perks.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">There the judicial lobby has got their way a long time ago by RESTRICTING VOTERS' CHOICE by putting that restriction INTO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, where only those who kept their heads low, did not criticize judicial misconduct for 5 years (Constitution) and 10 years (the Family Court Act) may become Family Court judges.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">It is a kind of a carrot-and-stick scheme for attorneys/witnesses of judicial misconduct.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Criticize - and be banned from your chosen profession.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Stay mum about judicial misconduct - and you may be rewarded by permission to become one of the regulators yourself, one of the judges.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">An honorable profession, indeed.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, dear voters, the most likely and most knowledgeable witnesses of misconduct of candidates for judicial office, local practicing attorneys, are effectively gagged by these rules and will not tell you, what they know of the potential negative features of any candidates.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Which means - you need to amass this information on your own to inform your voting decisions.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">By connecting the dots, seeking this information from different sources, not believing a word that is coming at the "meet-and-greet" meetings of candidates, by asking those candidates inconvenient and tough questions and seeing their reactions.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And bearing in mind that the reaction of candidates will not be the same as it will be if they become judges - it will be dampened by their desire to appease voters and get the prize - the judgeship.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">When you next time see those same people if they get their wish, they will not longer desire to appease you as a voter, but instead they will have an absolute immunity for malicious and corrupt acts in office (Stump v Sparkman, US Supreme Court case) to do with you and your property, child, family ANYTHING THEY WANT.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Think before giving such an enormous power to people, no matter how hard they are trying to praise themselves to you.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Be very much on the alert as to insincerity, dishonesty, however small, snapping and irritation - because on the bench these features will grow manifold and may destroy your life.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And, if your voting decisions did not affect the outcome of elections, at least inform yourself as to what you can expect in the future from such judges. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Informed often means well-armed to protect yourself.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">As to some information I am ready to share with you about the particular candidates for the Delaware County (NY) judicial elections this year, stay tuned for next blogs on this topic.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><p></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-14327559714552944002022-04-10T08:41:00.001-07:002022-04-10T08:41:11.356-07:00Will we see the Otsego County Board, former judge Michael Coccoma and his wife, former Otsego County Attorney Ellen Coccoma, in federal prison? Like we saw the New York Senate leader Dean Skelos and his son?<p><span style="font-size: large;">In 2018 a federal jury <a href="https://wskg.org/ex-new-york-state-senator-and-son-convicted-of-bribery-extortion/?msclkid=e71fb0c4b84211ec81822b48f2ca580f">found guilty the former leader of the New York Senate DEAN SKELOS, a Republican, and his son for a scheme of corruption where, among other things, the son was given a no-show lucrative job as a favor to the Senator/Head of Senate father.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(The former leader of the New York Assembly, SHELDON SILVER, a Democrat, was also convicted for corruption, by a separate, also federal, jury, at about the same time - the same article mentions it).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What is interesting is that the New York supposedly "free" and "independent" press, as well as "professional" prosecutors and the no less "professional" State Attorney General did not notice ongoing schemes of corruption going on under their noses for years and decades.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Or, rather, preferred not to notice them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What is even more interesting that, as I have started a new series of articles about corruption in judicial elections in the Tri-County area (Delaware, Chenango, Otsego) of the State of New York in 2021 and 2022, I have READILY - READILY found evidence of the same scheme as the one for which SKELOS and SON were convicted by the federal jury, evidence in public access - that the "free and independent" local press does not dare to touch.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, let's begin from the very beginning.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Last year Otsego County (NY) Supreme Court Justice Michael V. Coccoma (who was also the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge administering the entire state court system outside of New York City, a tremendous power) - retired. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I do not know Judge Coccoma's date of birth, so it is difficult for me to say whether he has or has not reached 70 when he decided to retire - which is the mandatory age of retirement for judges in New York. In other words, I do not know whether Judge Coccoma really retired or was booted - as TWO judges in Delaware County, one another's bosom friend and one successing the other, were - Judge Carl F. Becker in the summer of 2015, mid-term, and then his successor Judge Richard D. Northrup, Jr., in 2021, also mid-term.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The local newspaper, The Daily Star, ran an article about Michael Coccoma's announcement of retirement.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is an insight into the quality of The Daily Star journalism though as to what it DID NOT report in connection with Michael Coccoma's retirement - despite information being in open public access.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Notably, at the same time with his retirement, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Michael Coccoma's wife, Ellen Coccoma, was booted from her position as Otsego County Attorney</span> and <a href="https://www.otsegocounty.com/departments/county_attorney/index.php?msclkid=a0c5df81b80f11ecaadcfe1dd615b9c3">was replaced with another person, Denise Hollis</a>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3KWWr_FeAx9uiaCTDkd1_f7TpucdcgD7t_9L4F63U5BhJG-oBDGJStTM9ydIaChwp8r-T8kXND5r3f53bQghoDMJ5xISfpATY1LdBPXxRUT11rbqxUPt73C6-TkkAl49LCtCAilDaHwr3W9eyIHhwEBtVaU3GxLL7wqsKY8zSEHWdEgQWbm5rjrE/s2123/otsego%20county%20attorney%20hollis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="2123" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3KWWr_FeAx9uiaCTDkd1_f7TpucdcgD7t_9L4F63U5BhJG-oBDGJStTM9ydIaChwp8r-T8kXND5r3f53bQghoDMJ5xISfpATY1LdBPXxRUT11rbqxUPt73C6-TkkAl49LCtCAilDaHwr3W9eyIHhwEBtVaU3GxLL7wqsKY8zSEHWdEgQWbm5rjrE/w627-h428/otsego%20county%20attorney%20hollis.PNG" width="627" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">The local press published a story about a meeting in December of the Otsego County Board where the then-County Attorney (wife of the just-retired Michael Coccoma) Ellen Coccoma announced that "she will not seek re-appointment". Which may very well indicate that she was, too, booted, as having lost her value for the Board - the support of a powerful public figure, a judge and a Chief Administrative judge for all courts outside of New York City.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Why I think it is more likely that Ellen Coccoma was booted and did not simply voluntarily left her position as the Otsego County Attorney that she has held for decades?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">There are several indicators reflected in public records that she was booted as no longer needed by Otsego County where her salary was a perpetual bribe to her husband, a powerful local and statewide judge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>First,</b> SeethroughNY.net, a watchdog listing salaries and pensions of New York public employees, shows that <b>Ellen Coccoma is not drawing a retirement as a retired public employee, while Michael Coccoma does.</b></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrDR-nVdQbSPW_yb5io6zl2iTpWlgz9uVX-5auM4YMn4S8jHm_H7mRlYrr4hre1V86AyJc1PbJ_NE0YRKP_JyHyF1gFC7Bc-55wQBdPPBvDWyv1vXcx5UaH8quC2-t_xygHdMvVl4LMhVBKlql0_Yt2CmLra0vsD7LTAT-kdJFs4iKk5zGdEu2T1a/s1782/Michael%20Coccoma%20pension.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="1782" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrDR-nVdQbSPW_yb5io6zl2iTpWlgz9uVX-5auM4YMn4S8jHm_H7mRlYrr4hre1V86AyJc1PbJ_NE0YRKP_JyHyF1gFC7Bc-55wQBdPPBvDWyv1vXcx5UaH8quC2-t_xygHdMvVl4LMhVBKlql0_Yt2CmLra0vsD7LTAT-kdJFs4iKk5zGdEu2T1a/w650-h189/Michael%20Coccoma%20pension.PNG" width="650" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Second, the New York Unified Court system shows Ellen Coccoma and her husband Michael Coccoma are now practicing law 104 miles away from one another, after having "served" in government roles in the same city, Cooperstown, for decades.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X1fqv00g6RhWIo34I30FrGpia4FCv6PjjqSuxEWHAPwurQcqk4m-7S9jHxBsV01WU9ym3Kwn_ihYcCpiWZenQCdmfXhToZVBgO3S8G8Z-n7c_KMsiIZdLtSbvM15wA47hcKte-yV9hN6RJdj030pfbpj9_vd07WaniT0HrpE1KVCDDtMsgCSxIau/s1607/Michael%20Coccoma%20saratoga%20springs.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1607" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X1fqv00g6RhWIo34I30FrGpia4FCv6PjjqSuxEWHAPwurQcqk4m-7S9jHxBsV01WU9ym3Kwn_ihYcCpiWZenQCdmfXhToZVBgO3S8G8Z-n7c_KMsiIZdLtSbvM15wA47hcKte-yV9hN6RJdj030pfbpj9_vd07WaniT0HrpE1KVCDDtMsgCSxIau/w489-h362/Michael%20Coccoma%20saratoga%20springs.PNG" width="489" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Michael Coccoma (notably) was not accepted in any law firms as an honorary special counsel or partner, as it usually happens with retired judges.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That suggests to me that he either </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">has no value to people as a professional practicing attorney (I understand that, <a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/REPORTER/3dseries/2008/2008_04984.htm?msclkid=e1105e6fb8e111ec9fb5ea31f640476b">having reversed a Coccoma's decision before I even finished law school, as a paralegal in my husband's law office who did that appeal</a>) or </span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">was booted from his job other than "retired" - judging by his year of admission to the bar, 1979, and his year of retirement, 2021, he was not likely to have reached 70 at the time of retirement, nor did he announce that he is retiring due to having reached the mandatory age of retirement for judges.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Michael Coccoma is now practicing law solo far away from Otsego County, in Saratoga S</span><span>prings, next <a href="https://tickets-center.com/search/saratoga-race-course-tickets/?venueId=2205&venueName=Saratoga+Race+Course&tagid=201&nid=2&accid=140078697&cid=71949414562213&kwid=71949852222745&akwd=saratoga%20raceway&dmt=e&bmt=bb&dist=s&uq=saratoga%20springs%20race%20track&device=c&ismobile=false&msclkid=50006d19479d16cbee2d0f48d08936cf&loc_physical_ms=78796&loc_interest_ms=60033&exid=&vx=0">to the horse race track</a>, while his wife remained practicing law in Oneonta, NY, Otsego County.</span></span><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkxz9a5qLB0P8rSCCrFpReyiou6pBG5a4rQVOUsQBYANwHkHPbiGLcwsq26yeR1UeRunABOjDotuX_JH8NWHY8NR334mNcYmWGKX-GyTx4T1GMzsg4yZSlPGVcuYNsPKQonEG43Hlz9IghymBkQqf9URBmVLCWcshBQTFG8EFUaY2Ojr980jv-AT3/s1591/Ellen%20Coccoma%20attorney%20info.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1591" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkxz9a5qLB0P8rSCCrFpReyiou6pBG5a4rQVOUsQBYANwHkHPbiGLcwsq26yeR1UeRunABOjDotuX_JH8NWHY8NR334mNcYmWGKX-GyTx4T1GMzsg4yZSlPGVcuYNsPKQonEG43Hlz9IghymBkQqf9URBmVLCWcshBQTFG8EFUaY2Ojr980jv-AT3/w541-h408/Ellen%20Coccoma%20attorney%20info.PNG" width="541" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I highly doubt that either the elderly Michael Coccoma </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(year of admission - 1979, so he is about <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">69 years old</span> now),</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">or the elderly Ellen Coccoma </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(the year her law license was obtained is 1982, the earliest people obtain law licenses is 25-26 years of age - graduate from high school at 18, bachelor's degree, pre-requisite to law school admission - at 22, 3 years of law school, bar exam and next year - admission to the bar, so that makes Ellen Coccoma about <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">66 years of age</span> at this time)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">would make a 4-hour roundtrip every day on a snowy night highway</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCCP1xqhtktF2MD1Slo3ZOYkMASAStDi235yvBa-s1pRU_n0KwDRDZ_Pp2DewgV0EWMJoBFpnZWFVijTliBuSw9PlffFm6ekQjw9lQfr8VvTiziYyuYuZPzKxqCWx2M7LWqGcahEElKFC0v_bzCfFtc2QxTZWkyZ0wMdEtHCf6EHNS56P3RqAh3Qg/s1698/distance%20oneonta%20to%20saratoga.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1698" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCCP1xqhtktF2MD1Slo3ZOYkMASAStDi235yvBa-s1pRU_n0KwDRDZ_Pp2DewgV0EWMJoBFpnZWFVijTliBuSw9PlffFm6ekQjw9lQfr8VvTiziYyuYuZPzKxqCWx2M7LWqGcahEElKFC0v_bzCfFtc2QxTZWkyZ0wMdEtHCf6EHNS56P3RqAh3Qg/w487-h390/distance%20oneonta%20to%20saratoga.PNG" width="487" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to have the happiness of living with one another.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Especially knowing Michael Coccoma's <a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/michael-coccomas-job-offer-to-christine.html">propensity of employing in close confidential positions and publicly "helping" in a significant way young and pretty female court employees</a> such a sacrifice for one another between this couple is highly unlikely.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So - on Michael Coccoma's retirement he has most likely SPLIT from his wife Ellen Coccoma, thus <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">signaling to Otsego County officials that she is of no value to him any longer </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">since he does not have to pretend any more that he is a married guy and a family man (even though the entire world knew, again, how he was playing around with pretty female court employees).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">While Ellen Coccoma looked like this - probably, 30 years ago, and now, judging by her year of admission to the bar (1982), is no less than 66 years old.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now, if your husband retires, splits from you and moves to live and practice law 105 miles away from you, you do not have to do the same if YOU did not reach the age of retirement in public service and if YOU want to continue practicing law.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And there are no age restrictions to be a County Attorney in the State of New York.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Had Ellen Coccoma been a valued professional for the Otsego County, who was hired on her merits and who provided valuable services for her high salary at the expense of County homeowners/property tax slaves, her retirement at from the position as Otsego County Attorney at the same time as her husband retired makes absolutely no sense.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">She would have a professional value of her own - and a job of her own.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But that was not, apparently, what was true.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Several months after Michael Coccoma "retired", his wife Ellen Coccoma </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">left the position of the Otsego County Attorney, </span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">did not move away together with her husband to Saratoga Springs, NY to happily or unhappily gamble on the horse race track, but instead'</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">remained in Otsego County where she </span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">continued to practice law, like she did before for years in the law firm Hinman, Howard & Kattel - only now full time and without the benefit of additional salary and the power of the Otsego County Attorney. </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, it is illegal for a full-time public official, especially a highly paid (by taxpayers) and highly powerful public official, to work on the side during his taxpayer-paid time - and Ellen Coccoma<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2014/06/assigned-counsel-for-rich-and-powerful.html#.YlGUJU7MLM8"> worked for Hinman, Howard and Kattel for years while being the full-time Otsego County Attorney anyway, stealing taxpayer money and time</a></span>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And, the Otsego County Board knew what Ellen Coccoma was doing - for years, since I have publicized the fact of her working on private cases in court and at depositions during taxpayer-paid time as an Otsego County Attorney about 9 years ago, publicly, in a blog and in public court papers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nobody gave a fig about it - at the time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But suddenly, the $95,587 a year that Ellen Coccoma stole per year from the Otsego County taxpayers</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8n9pf722A28PPmSthB56w5zR1zVJ00fqgPigxxDj3li_DCASG77afS434rtiwCS0KyAjg8if7epNls-9GYTg9f1ntPoqQr0o9gOHKXDMdH2dZeP5dUOmArOPeJtTsClL7uessZQWQ6FkbhAYUupERoTeVbH5kLU2xpx-LviToAlz0i-HDls1LPtj/s1765/Ellen%20Coccoma%20salary.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="1765" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8n9pf722A28PPmSthB56w5zR1zVJ00fqgPigxxDj3li_DCASG77afS434rtiwCS0KyAjg8if7epNls-9GYTg9f1ntPoqQr0o9gOHKXDMdH2dZeP5dUOmArOPeJtTsClL7uessZQWQ6FkbhAYUupERoTeVbH5kLU2xpx-LviToAlz0i-HDls1LPtj/w542-h146/Ellen%20Coccoma%20salary.PNG" width="542" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">started to bother the Otsego County Board, and Ellen Coccoma was forced to announce that "she will not seek reappointment" after her husband's abrupt middle-of-the-year "retirement".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">By the way, the "courageous" local press never wrote about this obvious corruption with employment of Ellen Coccoma, and did not write now about the interesting situation with loss of County employment of Ellen Coccoma now, which suggests that her PRIOR County employment was nothing less than a perpetual bribe to Judge Coccoma.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">No judge-husband - no job now. Simple.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Will the FBI investigate what did Michael Coccoma have to do in return for that expensive (for taxpayers) annual favor to him in the shape of a lucrative no-show, but powerful job for his wife?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Will we see Ellen Coccoma, Michael Coccoma and whoever was brokering and approving the bribe in orange jumpsuits and behind federal bars?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Time will show.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What is sure though is that NY AG will never touch this case with a 10-foot pole.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because this is not how things are "done" in the State of New York.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is usual the fed's job to weed out corruption of high-ranking (presumed honorable, with an oath to maintain the U.S. Constituiton, highly educated, highly paid) public officials in the State of New York.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But it does happen.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Chief Judge of New York State Sol Watchler did do time in a federal prison.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Both heads of the New York State Legislature, Dean Skelos (head of Senate, a Republican) and Sheldon Silver (head of Assembly, a Democrat) were convicted by a federal jury of crimes of corruption.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Ellen Coccoma and even Michael Coccoma are of a rank lower than these guys - and a fair game now for the FBI since they are a couple of FORMERS now.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-42718373392411757712022-04-09T14:47:00.003-07:002022-04-09T14:47:36.398-07:00On Otsego County Supreme Court Justice Brian D. Burns, Otsego County Family Court Judge Michael Getman and other thieves<p><span style="font-size: large;"> In March 2021, while still being a sitting judge of the Otsego County (NY) Family Court, Judge Brian D. Burns published a book "Co-parenting FROM YOUR CHILD's PROSPECTIVE".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, the judge deems himself the voice not of justice, mind, but of one of the parties in a court proceeding, children - who are in such proceedings necessarily represented by their own attorneys.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Apparently, it is not enough for Judge Burns to appoint those attorneys. He openly admits he is actually a child advocate and not a fair adjudicator.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here are snapshots of his book, its official description and identification information on Amazon.com - and a couple of reviews, mine as a verified purchaser of the book and somebody else's, without a name - since that person is obviously afraid of Judge Burns' retaliation.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXCwkJPhX-O0xs74huKgrU3I3TuagSVePO1GKE2c9Qb_7pjKVsDK-JP31iXTBrkFUujdS157r_7GGYGxmmGuBQaOVXWXRH818pDWFycH4LTMp3499Lfie_-v5HhxkOWDWNRWs1yvjY8gNMRfOMYnA-fWCWIdyyMZa_mSLOE5-f952RgWEh63Li1OI/s1606/SmartSelect_20220409-162709_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="1501" height="697" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXCwkJPhX-O0xs74huKgrU3I3TuagSVePO1GKE2c9Qb_7pjKVsDK-JP31iXTBrkFUujdS157r_7GGYGxmmGuBQaOVXWXRH818pDWFycH4LTMp3499Lfie_-v5HhxkOWDWNRWs1yvjY8gNMRfOMYnA-fWCWIdyyMZa_mSLOE5-f952RgWEh63Li1OI/w651-h697/SmartSelect_20220409-162709_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="651" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx468DepooPKpyYJ_7_R48wflduIeNb-ual756IiLmJxl64irT-BKcGpSSpZG-kf5U4sBuqYQAcMslFjp0_AUzSxV2FK5mk1nE9hF_EmYvmhFUhabHH8cda1qTXtliS1xHw7oJEH7Th_s84BVK3jVq70wMhGvRo2cp3PYa0-U8aKj8lFJbiS_Xks5/s1818/Screenshot_20220409-162758_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="1818" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx468DepooPKpyYJ_7_R48wflduIeNb-ual756IiLmJxl64irT-BKcGpSSpZG-kf5U4sBuqYQAcMslFjp0_AUzSxV2FK5mk1nE9hF_EmYvmhFUhabHH8cda1qTXtliS1xHw7oJEH7Th_s84BVK3jVq70wMhGvRo2cp3PYa0-U8aKj8lFJbiS_Xks5/w586-h150/Screenshot_20220409-162758_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="586" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUK_YsdmtKtCoqfyKlNlOLd7Oc0HAymy0OwUJjkJmf06KngQan0ccGwYoYn8O7xuume9KrrIbtiFvbl8Y-5V5ZKV6V36-VzoWST0jmAS5Ckh4G0zT-BPjP7kurujpmlnEoB5LU_m0YyFS2YqoZRkqzpT9onUGlndjkEscijWgfAaXEyoLGGBYpad4/s1459/Screenshot_20220409-162813_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1459" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUK_YsdmtKtCoqfyKlNlOLd7Oc0HAymy0OwUJjkJmf06KngQan0ccGwYoYn8O7xuume9KrrIbtiFvbl8Y-5V5ZKV6V36-VzoWST0jmAS5Ckh4G0zT-BPjP7kurujpmlnEoB5LU_m0YyFS2YqoZRkqzpT9onUGlndjkEscijWgfAaXEyoLGGBYpad4/w499-h488/Screenshot_20220409-162813_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="499" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjEy5hE7S1q51Qy_WSuJ3QNcuYJwwzqd4_9kZRadiR5gz6WEjKx8ZyWOwsQeW1Y9axVG3Xa9Qwg__3arMOBIntJIgsLbtBcZKe57b7H6xTEZjgZ3hopo9q4drQ8oA6uqeqvsECJqfh78qPuMGkMGrMmc2XQlpCzX6H1BJ-M3wjtGSEGvy407RJe_x/s1836/SmartSelect_20220409-162833_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="1836" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjEy5hE7S1q51Qy_WSuJ3QNcuYJwwzqd4_9kZRadiR5gz6WEjKx8ZyWOwsQeW1Y9axVG3Xa9Qwg__3arMOBIntJIgsLbtBcZKe57b7H6xTEZjgZ3hopo9q4drQ8oA6uqeqvsECJqfh78qPuMGkMGrMmc2XQlpCzX6H1BJ-M3wjtGSEGvy407RJe_x/w564-h508/SmartSelect_20220409-162833_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="564" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AtkqM_kTDN0mbZCIfH2AIsXf32uDEbEdFfi9gS-0F02uPXPOHXhtx45G7s2CaEqKsCC4WbTSr1RXfjVu4GHiiqu7ye3s9gmq1Tuf0edCsnOyaQk6LRMafbBPBt3zvle8CVaf5I_VAUK3nmQHJoD6SQT64GeCjShVR8pau4zxItrvjQ0LvejcBv3z/s2208/Screenshot_20220409-162900_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1808" height="755" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AtkqM_kTDN0mbZCIfH2AIsXf32uDEbEdFfi9gS-0F02uPXPOHXhtx45G7s2CaEqKsCC4WbTSr1RXfjVu4GHiiqu7ye3s9gmq1Tuf0edCsnOyaQk6LRMafbBPBt3zvle8CVaf5I_VAUK3nmQHJoD6SQT64GeCjShVR8pau4zxItrvjQ0LvejcBv3z/w619-h755/Screenshot_20220409-162900_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="619" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55e1Rl9hYQMV-doPM-iMLx54aS70aG64CATZUJ-z_Yb1WWKuwZQXcWgaCK7JXj9jQrgbmjrAsQHilcJukDc9fZ2U-vRNfb6jot4YabhQHh7H8SHQrTXN2jx2cq2ev_ZTQ9WWIVnvEn9VvI89HFv0V4kkMUnd9-4PD9h0ab9ZmzN1caJgehA88s137/s1821/SmartSelect_20220409-162911_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1821" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55e1Rl9hYQMV-doPM-iMLx54aS70aG64CATZUJ-z_Yb1WWKuwZQXcWgaCK7JXj9jQrgbmjrAsQHilcJukDc9fZ2U-vRNfb6jot4YabhQHh7H8SHQrTXN2jx2cq2ev_ZTQ9WWIVnvEn9VvI89HFv0V4kkMUnd9-4PD9h0ab9ZmzN1caJgehA88s137/w628-h346/SmartSelect_20220409-162911_Amazon%20Shopping.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my review I am relying on my own documentary investigation of Judge Brian D. Burns' misconduct described in my prior blog articles regarding Anthony Pacherille Jr and Sr's cases:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>November 9, 2015,</b></span> <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Part 1</span> - <span style="background-color: white; color: #37cd8c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/for-judge-brian-burns-of-otsego-county.html">The Anthony Pacherille story, Part 1 - for judge Brian Burns of Otsego County Court, NY, justice is for sale</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">November 11, 2015,</span></b> <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Part 2</span> - <span style="background-color: white; color: #37cd8c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/anthony-pacherilles-case-part-ii-judge.html">The Anthony Pacherille story - Part 2. Judge Burns strikes back against the child because the child's father asked him for compassion</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>November 13, 2015</b></span> - the author's law license is quickly suspended (I doubt that it happened without request of Judge Brian D. Burns :).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">November 18, 2015,</span></b> <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Part 3</span> - <span style="background-color: white; color: #37cd8c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/anthony-pacherilles-story-part-3-after.html">The Anthony Pacherille's story, Part 3 - after the sentencing: thin skin, long arms, the sense of entitlement and the complete lack of integrity of Judge Brian Burns of Otsego County</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>November 18, 2015,</b></span> <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Part 4</span> - <span style="background-color: white; color: #37cd8c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/anthony-pacherille-story-part-4-freedom.html">The Anthony Pacherille story: Part 4 - freedom to protest in front of a public official's home</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>November 21, 2015,</b></span> <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Part 5</span> - <span style="background-color: white; color: #37cd8c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/11/anthony-pacherilles-story-part-5-judge.html">The Anthony Pacherille story - Part 5: Judge Burns hires a law firm with ties to the presiding magistrate judge in Tony Pacherille's federal lawsuit</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also described Judge Burns' monetary exchanges with the now-Otsego County Family Court Judge Michael Getman <a href="https://www.amazon.com/OXYGEN-MASK-RULE-government-Criminal-ebook/dp/B07BJMW5KP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E6QQDBQ4KMBU&keywords=tatiana+neroni&qid=1649539566&sprefix=tatiana+neroni%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1">in my book published on Amazon.com</a>. The book quotes, based on review of documents of Dewar foundation and of A.O. Fox Hospital available in free public access, that Michael Getman (President of Dewar) gave regular LARGE donations to the non-profit A.O. Fox Hospital where Burns was on board. And that is what is available in public access. One can only guess what else Getman did to get Burns' favor, considering Getman's EXTENSIVE experience in defrauding that same non-profit together with his judge-father Frank Getman.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shenanigans of the now-Judge Michael Getman and of his thief father Judge Frank Getman are described in a <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/1999/state-files-suit-oust-directors-dewar-foundation?msclkid=d6d7b9ecb84b11ec88ee4e06051457c7">press release of the New York State Attorney General dated June 11, 1999</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the article I will post the full text of the release here, in case Getman would pull it from that site.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">You see that in the press release the New York State Attorney General mentions that the millions of dollars in the Dewar foundation cannot possibly continue to be entrusted to these two theives, judge-father and his attorney-son </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">(same as it happened to another thieving couple, also from Oneonta, and <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-rules-of-law-for-sons-of-judges-and.html#.YlH9KjnMLEc">also consisting of a thief judge-father and a thief attorney-son - who also were never punished and kept their law licenses, that is Robert and Richard Harlems</a>, so thievery of judges together with their sons from non-profits or from clients is a time-honored tradition in Otsego County) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">But, you know the money of which non-profit did Michael Getman use to buy Brian Burns' favor and get his current judicial position?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of that very same Dewar foundation that NY AG stated in 1999 he cannot be entrusted with.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Since Michael Getman was son-of-a-judge, neither he, nor his thief father suffered any repercussions for their theivery, neither lost their law licenses, and Michael Getman was elevated first to Chief Otsego County Assistant District Attorney, Michael Getman perceived his impunity to prosecution for his crimes as a carte blanche to continue to engage in even more corruption with the help of the millions of dollars in the bank account of the Dewar Foundation.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">He used that nonprofit to grease his way into a judgeship by buying favors of the "child advocate" (Anthony Pacherille Jr. will disagree) Judge Brian D. Burns to plow his way over the old women of the Otsego County Republican Committee who consider Judge Burns' "choice of a successor" as a directive to obey (I rely on creditable witness accounts after conversations last year with those old women regarding that directive).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As it appears, residents of Otsego County, New York, are lifelong masochists - since they continue to step on the same rake, over, and over, and over, and over again, electing one thief after another to judge over their liberty, property and family integrity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can I say - you deserve what you have? You wouldn't have it if you didn't like it? Since you are keep repeating and electing as judges thieves out of the same thieving families for years and decades?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">---</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h1 class="title" id="page-title" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 17px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">State Files Suit To Oust Directors Of Dewar Foundation</h1><div class="content" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Chief Judge Kaye has presented a sound proposal for meeting a critical challenge to the court system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Attorney General Spitzer today announced a lawsuit against the board of directors of a private foundation in Oneonta for mismanaging the organization's assets. Those actions led to the loss of more than $1.5 million.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Spitzer's Charities Bureau filed the suit today in Manhattan Supreme Court against three directors of the Dewar Foundation — President Frank W. Getman, his son Michael and Nancy Lynch. The complaint seeks monetary damages from the defendants and their removal from the Board.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">"It is the responsibility of my office to protect the assets of charities which are created to do good deeds in our communities," said Spitzer. "Because these individuals acted irresponsibly, they do not deserve, nor can they be trusted to oversee the millions of dollars still left in the care of this Foundation."</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The civil suit alleges that the defendants violated their fiduciary duties to the Foundation because as directors they mismanaged the Foundation's assets or allowed them to be mismanaged in a way that harmed the not-for-profit corporation.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The A.G.'s action primarily concerns a decision in 1993 by Frank Getman to make an imprudent loan to a risky start-up mineral water business in California — Wheeler Springs Resorts.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Without any knowledge or approval from the Board, Frank Getman invested $1.5 million of the Foundation's assets in the company, along with $100,000 of his own money.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The loan entitled Getman to a number of personal benefits including a position on Wheeler's Board of Directors, $10,000 in annual director fees, and common stock and warrants.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">After just a few payments, the company defaulted on the loan in November 1993. The loan, plus accrued interest, remain unpaid.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The State alleges that directors Michael Getman and Nancy Lynch breached their fiduciary duties when they failed to oversee the Foundation's financial activities and instead, allowed Frank Getman to make most of the Board's decisions.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">They also failed to evaluate or question any of his investments, even after learning about the risky loan.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">In addition, Frank and Michael Getman improperly collected rent money totaling more than $50,000 from the Foundation. The Dewar Foundation rented office space from the Getmans which subjected the Foundation to penalty under federal tax laws.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The Attorney General also seeks the appointment of a receiver who would be in charge of the Board while it re-organizes.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The Dewar Foundation was incorporated in 1947 and is well known in the Oneonta area as the legacy of Jessie Smith Dewar, a local resident who inherited a fortune amassed by her father from early stock investments in a company that was the predecessor to IBM.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The Foundation makes grants to a variety of local charitable organizations such as A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital and the SUNY College at Oneonta Foundation.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">In 1997, the Foundation reported having assets with a fair market value in excess of $13 million and the distribution of grants totaling $564,800.</p><p style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The investigation was handled by Assistant Attorney General Tynia Richard of Spitzer's Charities Bureau under the supervision of Section Chief Robert Pigott."</p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br /><p></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-23511327675720722742022-03-11T10:08:00.004-08:002022-03-11T10:17:15.437-08:00How could it happen that, even after sanctions, the access to justice system in Russia is better than in the sanctioning country, the US?<p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
impact of antiwar sanctions upon access to justice in Russia: </span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Russia will become the US?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tatiana Neroni,
J.D.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 11, 2022 ©<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On February 24, 2022 Russia has invaded a sovereign
neighboring state, the Ukraine, and has started a war there, still ongoing at
the time this article has been written.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As part of the effort to curb and eventually stop that
war, various political and economic sanctions were imposed by the US and
European states on Russia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a result of those sanctions, Russia announced that
it<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Is
leaving the Council of Europe</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">;</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> May
likely restore the death penalty</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> (after a moratorium on
such a type sentence since 1997, for a quarter of a century); and</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Will
no longer be subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span></span></li></ol><!--[if !supportLists]--><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These 3 points have resulted in Russia regressing in
terms of access to justice of its residents, especially in case of human rights
violations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In that regress though, interestingly enough, Russia is
now approaching the state of access to justice of the main country imposing the
antiwar sanctions, the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let us compare access to justice systems of the United
States and Russia before Russia’s war with the Ukraine and now, during that war.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoCaption" style="break-after: avoid; page-break-after: avoid;">Table <!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>SEQ
Table \* ARABIC <span style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">1</span><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
field-end'></span><![endif]--> Comparative table of access to justice systems,
US and Russia, before Russia’s war with the Ukraine<o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTable15Grid5DarkAccent5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: -1; mso-yfti-lastfirstrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-right: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Aspect of access
to justice system<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">United States<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Russia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-left: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Who had it better<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Access to an
international court on human rights violations<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">None, specifically
prohibited by a condition US put in during ratification of the International
Covenant for Civil and Political Rights<a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Full access to the
European Court of Human Rights<a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Russia</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Death penalty<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yes, federal</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yes, certain states</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">No, moratorium since 1997</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Russia</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Government
control over attorneys representing clients in court against the government</span></b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Total control</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">All lawyers opposing
the government in court are controlled by the government through licensing</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Most Americans cannot afford an attorney, but are prohibited by the government to choose who would represent them in court, including in cases where the government is their opponent in court</span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Partial (criminal
defense bar only, regulation is through Criminal defense lawyer associations,
no direct licensing of criminal defense lawyers by the government)</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;">Residents of Russia may choose who they want to represent them in all courts but criminal (and, of late, some appellate courts)</p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Russia</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now, let’s see whether and how this situation is going
to change with the impending antiwar sanctions and the resulting actions of
Russia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoCaption">Table <!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>SEQ Table \* ARABIC <span style='mso-element:
field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">2</span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Comparative table of access to justice, US and
Russia, as a result of Russia’s war against the Ukraine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTable15Grid5DarkAccent5" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: -1; mso-yfti-lastfirstrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-right: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Aspect of access
to justice system<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">United States<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Russia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-left: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Who has it better<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Access to an
international court on human rights violations<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">None, specifically
prohibited by a condition US put in during ratification of the International
Covenant for Civil and Political Rights</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">None</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Equally bad</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Death penalty<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yes, federal</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yes, certain states</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Planning to reintroduce the death
penalty</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(222, 234, 246); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">If introduced, equally bad</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid white; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;">Government
control over attorneys representing clients in court against the government</span></b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;"><b><span style="color: white; mso-themecolor: background1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.85pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Total control</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
Most Americans cannot afford an attorney, but are prohibited by the government to choose who would represent them in court, including in cases where the government is their opponent in court
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Partial (criminal
defense bar only, regulation is through Criminal defense lawyer associations,
no direct licensing of criminal defense lawyers by the government)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">All Russians,
including all lawyers, are prohibited by the new criminal law to criticize
the government ONLY re issues of war against the Ukraine</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;">Residents of Russia may choose who they want to represent them in all courts but criminal (and, of late, some appellate courts)</p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(189, 214, 238); border-bottom: 1pt solid white; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid white; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: accent5; mso-background-themetint: 102; mso-border-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 116.9pt;" valign="top" width="156">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 64;"><b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Russia is still better
yet</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, no total
control over lawyers criticizing the government, no opportunity to deprive a
lawyer of his/her profession because of his/her political activities by
revoking a license, and thus deprive the lawyer’s client of effective representation
by that lawyer against the government on issues of human rights violations</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"> </span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is a sad paradox, as the two tables above show,
that even after Russia deals a blow to its access to justice system on 3 major
points, it still has a better access to justice opportunities for people on the
issue of human rights violations than the access to justice system in the
United States, with the exception of the criminal punishment of criticism of
the Russian government on the particular issue of the war in the Ukraine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, the US has so far beaten up the Russian government
<b>into a regress in its access to justice system</b> <b>towards the conditions
of the sanctioning country, the United States</b>.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Moscow Times, Russia
Quits Europe’s Rule of Law Body, Sparking Questions Over Death Penalty, March
10, 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Id.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Id.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">For a comprehensive
account of bars in the United States erected by its government for access to
justice <i>see</i>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neroni, Tatiana, No
effective legal remedies for Americans for human rights violations on the U.S.
soil, September 26, 2018, Academia.edu.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/tatia/Documents/article%20impact%20of%20antiwar%20sanctions%20on%20russian%20access%20to%20justice.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>See e.g.</i> Debevoise
& Plimpton LLP, Ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Russian
Federation on enforcement of ECHR judgments, August 17, 2015 (commenting on the
decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation confirming that
Russia subjects itself to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human
Rights as a result of Russia’s ratification of the Convention for the
Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed in Rome on November
4, 1950 (the “European Convention”).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>=============<p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This article is cautionary.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">There is no question (to me personally, at least) that in the case of the war with the Ukraine Russia is an aggressor and is acting unlawfully and unfairly, causing deaths, injuries and misery to people of a sovereign nation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, let's not forget while condemning an outside dictator and aggressor that </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">we also have a lot of problems here in the United States to solve, and that </span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">we should not be led on a string by our government pretending to be "holier than thou" on the very issue of human rights where our own government is worse than the targeted foreign dictatorship.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Let's clean our own house, too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-18777518496491373602021-12-18T09:19:00.005-08:002021-12-18T09:19:51.281-08:00Texas lawyers are challenging forced financing of political and ideological activities of the Texas state bar in the U.S. Supreme Court<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Here is <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/21-800.html">the U.S. Supreme Court docket of the case</a> where the original petition can be downloaded.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In this blog I am publishing copied, pasted and reformatted petition (it is a public record) for easier readability.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I think the general public will be very interested to learn which activities the bar association in a "red" (Republican) state is financing with MANDATORY licensing fees of ALL its attorneys - whether they support such political and ideological positions or not.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">---</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The “freedom of speech ‘includes both the right to speak
freely and the right to refrain from speaking at all,’” and compelled
subsidization of speech “seriously impinges on First Amendment rights.” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Janus v. Am. Fed. of State,
Cty., & Mun. Employees, Council 31, 138 S. Ct. 2448, 2463-64 (2018)</span>.
This Court recently held in Janus that the First Amendment fully protects public
employees’ freedom to decline to associate with or subsidize the activities of
a labor union.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This case implicates the same types of First Amendment
harms that were at issue in Janus. Petitioners are three Texas attorneys who
are compelled to join and financially support the State Bar of Texas in order
to practice their chosen profession. The Bar uses their coerced funds to support
an extensive array of highly ideological and controversial activities,
including lobbying for legislation; promoting identity-based programming and
affinity groups; and supporting legal aid and pro bono initiatives that often
touch on controversial matters such as immigration policy. Petitioners do not support
these activities yet are compelled to associate with the Bar and fund its
activities if they wish to continuing practicing law in Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the decision below, the Fifth Circuit correctly held
that Petitioners could not be compelled to support the Bar’s lobbying and
political advocacy regarding matters unrelated to the legal profession. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But the court found itself constrained by this Court’s
precedent to reject Petitioners’ First Amendment challenges to all of the other
activities at issue. The Fifth Circuit acknowledged that many of these activities—such
as identity-based programming based on race, gender, and sexual
orientation—were “highly ideologically charged.” App. 29. Yet the Court found
Petitioners’ First Amendment challenges to these activities to be barred by
this Court’s precedent because they were “germane” to “regulating the legal profession”
or “improving the quality of legal services.” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Keller v. State Bar of California, 496 U.S. 1, 13 (1990).</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This Court should grant certiorari and hold that members
of a mandatory bar cannot be compelled to finance any political or ideological
activities, and cannot be compelled to join a bar that engages in such activities.
That rule flows directly from this Court’s existing precedent, which makes
clear that members of a mandatory bar “could not be required to pay the portion
of bar dues used for political or ideological purposes but that they could be
required to pay the portion of the dues used for activities connected with proposing
ethical codes and disciplining bar members.” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Harris v. Quinn, 573 U.S. 616, 655 (2014)</span> (emphasis
added). Although Keller did contemplate a limited role for a mandatory bar
whose activities are carefully circumscribed, nothing in Keller gives bar associations
a blank check to use coerced dues to support highly controversial and
ideologically charged activities such as those challenged here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This Court’s intervention is imperative. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mandatory bars across the country have become increasingly
embroiled in advocacy and programming on hot-button and politically charged
issues such as immigration, identity-based programming, and legal aid for
controversial causes. Yet countless bar members, including Petitioners, do not
support those activities and would prefer to support and associate with
organizations and causes of their own choosing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Given that this case implicates “First Amendment rights
of association which must be carefully guarded against infringement,” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Elrod v. Burns, 427 U.S. 347, 373
(1976)</span>, certiorari is plainly warranted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the alternative, if <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Keller</span> and <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Lathrop</span> actually do authorize the use of coerced
dues for the broad array of ideological and controversial activities challenged
here, then those decisions should be overruled. <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Janus</span> recognized the hopeless ambiguity of attempting
to use a “germaneness” test to determine what types of activities a union
member could be compelled to support. And this Court expressly recognized in <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Keller</span> that there is a
“substantial analogy” between compelled support for a union and compelled
support for a bar association. Keller, 496 U.S. at 12. Given that Keller relied
on the same legal doctrines that this Court since repudiated in Janus, it is
untenable to give less First Amendment protection to attorneys forced to join a
bar association than to government employees forced to support a union. Ifthis
Court’s precedents authorize the Bar to compel Petitioners to support the
highly ideological activities challenged here, then those decisions should be reconsidered
and overruled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The First Amendment question underlying this petition
has been raised in a few other recent petitions, one of which garnered two
votes for certiorari. See Jarchow v. State Bar of Wisconsin, 140 S. Ct. 1720,
1720-21 (2020) (Thomas, J., joined by Gorsuch, J., dissenting from the denial
of certiorari). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Unlike those earlier petitions, however, this petition
does not argue that the Court must overrule prior precedent; Petitioners’
primary argument is that this Court’s full body of First Amendment precedent already
bans states from compelling membership in and funding of a bar that engages in
political or ideological activities. Unlike the earlier cases, moreover, the
decision below actually evaluated whether each of the Bar’s activities was
germane to the legal profession and found that many were not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This case was also decided at summary judgment where
the First Amendment issues were fully litigated based on an extensive record.
Cf. Jarchow, 140 S. Ct. at 1721 (pleadings stage); <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Crowe v. Oregon State Bar, 989 F.3d 714 (9th Cir.
2021)</span> (pleadings stage and a key First Amendment claim left unresolved),
cert. denied, No. 20-1678, 2021 WL 4507678 (Oct. 4, 2021); Fleck v. Wetch, 937
F.3d 1112, 1115-17 (8th Cir. 2019) (plaintiff forfeited key First Amendment
claim), cert. denied, 140 S. Ct. 1294 (2020). This case accordingly presents an
ideal vehicle for the Court to address the important First Amendment issues
arising out of mandatory bar membership. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">OPINIONS BELOW<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit’s opinion is reported at 4 F.4<sup>th</sup>
229 and is reproduced at App. 1-43. The district court’s order on cross-motions
for summary judgment is available at 2020 WL 3261061 and is reproduced at App.
44-65. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">JURISDICTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit issued its opinion on July 2, 2021.
Because its decision was issued before July 19, 2021, the deadline for filing
this petition was automatically extended to 150 days from the date of the lower
court’s decision, or November 29, 2021. This Court has jurisdiction under 28
U.S.C. §1254(1). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION INVOLVED<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The First Amendment, as incorporated against the
states by the Fourteenth, provides: “Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging
the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">STATEMENT OF THE CASE<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A. Overview of mandatory and voluntary bar associations.
An “integrated” bar association (also called a “unified” or “mandatory” bar) is
“an official state organization requiring membership and financial support of
all attorneys admitted to practice in that jurisdiction.” The Integrated Bar
Ass’n, 30 Fordham L. Rev. 477, 477 (1962). These mandatory associations are
described as “integrated” because they both regulate the legal profession and
engage in other activities such as lobbying, promoting “access to justice” and
pro bono work, organizing conferences and continuing legal education programs,
holding public forums, publishing reports, and promoting diversity initiatives.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A mandatory bar association differs from a voluntary
bar association in that it is an “official organization by authority of the
state” and has “compulsory membership.” Id.; see also Jarchow, 140 S. Ct. at
1720 (Thomas, J., dissenting from denial of cert.) (“Unlike voluntary bar
associations, integrated or mandatory bars require attorneys to join a state
bar and pay compulsory dues as a condition of practicing law in the State.”).
As this Court has recognized, mandatory bars can burden the First Amendment rights
of those who are compelled to join in a manner “substantial[ly] analog[ous]” to
the way that mandatory “agency shop” arrangements can burden the rights of
union members. Keller, 496 U.S. at 12.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Although a majority of states currently have mandatory
bar associations, they are by no means necessary to ensure adequate regulation
and supervision of the legal profession. Nearly twenty states—including large
legal markets such as New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylva<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>nia—regulate
the legal profession directly without compulsory bar membership. See In re
Petition for a Rule Change to Create a Voluntary State Bar, 841 N.W.2d 167, 171
(Neb. 2013). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Voluntary bar associations devoted to improvement of
the law and the legal profession have continued to flourish in those
jurisdictions even in the absence of government coercion. For example, the New
York State Bar Association—which is supported solely by voluntary membership
and contributions—has over 70,000 members, more than 125 employees, and more
than $20 million in annual revenue. See About NYSBA, History and Structure of
the Ass’n, archive.nysba.org/history/; 2020 Operating Budget, bit.ly/3l5VyjB. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Voluntary bar associations such as the NYSBA typically
conduct the same types of activities that members of mandatory bars are coerced
to support, e.g., lobbying, legal advocacy, diversity programs, legal aid
projects, conferences, CLE programs and other similar initiatives. Because they
are private, voluntary organizations supported solely by their members, these
groups are free to support or oppose any causes of their choosing without
limitation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">B. Texas law requires all attorneys to join and fund
the Bar as a condition of practicing their chosen profession.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The State Bar of Texas is a mandatory bar association.
The Bar is a public corporation and an administrative agency of the judicial department,
operating under the administrative control of the Supreme Court of Texas. See
Tex. Gov’t Code § 81.011. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Individuals
who wish to practice law in Texas are compelled to join the Bar in order to
engage in their profession. See Tex. Gov’t Code § 81.051(b) (“Each person
licensed to practice law in this state shall, not later than the 10th day after
the person’s admission to practice, enroll in the state bar by registering with
the clerk of the supreme court.”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Failure to join the Bar makes an individual ineligible
to practice law in Texas. An attorney who is eligible to practice law in Texas
but is not currently practicing may move to “inactive” status. See Tex. Gov’t
Code §§ 81.052, 81.053. Inactive members must remain members of the Bar, and
continue to pay dues, in order to preserve their eligibility to return to
active status in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas must
pay dues to the Bar. See Tex. Gov’t Code § 81.054. Those dues are currently $68
for attorneys licensed 0 to 3 years, $148 for attorneys licensed 4 to 5 years,
and $235 for attorneys licensed more than 5 years. ROA.3749.1 Dues for inactive
members are currently $50 per year. ROA.3761. In the year ending on May 31,
2017, the Bar collected more than $22 million in mandatory dues, plus another
$25 million in revenue from its other activities. ROA.3775.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Texas law also imposes an additional $65 “legal services
fee” on certain attorneys as a condition of their practicing law. Tex. Gov’t
Code § 81.054(j). This fee is imposed only on certain attorneys in active private
practice in Texas. It is not imposed on attorneys over 70 years old or on
inactive status; those who work in state, federal, or local government; those who
work for certain non-profit organizations; or those who reside out of state and
do not practice law in Texas. Id. § 81.054(k). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1 “ROA” refers to the Record on Appeal before the
Fifth Cir<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>cuit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">C. The Bar’s use of compelled dues for ideological and
political activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under this Court’s
precedent, compelled bar dues may be used only for carefully limited purposes
such as “proposing ethical codes and disciplining bar members.” Harris, 573
U.S. at 655. But the Bar does not limit its spending to this narrow category.
Instead, it uses coerced dues for extensive political and ideological
activities that extend far beyond regulatory and disciplinary functions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Legislative Program. It is difficult to imagine a more
quintessentially “political” activity than advocating for the passage of
legislation. Yet the Bar uses compelled dues to do just that. The Bar maintains
a Governmental Relations department that “serves as the State Bar’s liaison to
the Texas Legislature and other state and federal governmental entities.”
ROA.3752. This department “reviews thousands of bills each legislative session
for their potential impact on the State Bar and the legal profession,” and
“manages and coordinates” the Bar’s legislative advocacy for certain bills. Id.
The Bar’s 2019 legislative program included proposed legislation on
wide-ranging matters including construction law, family law, LGBT law, poverty
law, real estate law, trust law, and probate law. ROA.3755-57.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At the time this suit was filed, the Bar was actively
advocating for the passage of forty-seven proposed bills in these areas. Id. <b><span style="color: red;">One of these bills (SJR 9) would amend the definition of
marriage in the Texas Constitution</span></b>. ROA.3756, 3959. Another (HB 978)
<b><span style="color: red;">would amend the Texas Code to create civil unions,
“intended as an alternative to marriage” for both sexes</span></b>. ROA.3756,
3961-79. Other bills <b><span style="color: red;">would modify the procedures
used by grandparents to gain access to grandchildren over parental objections</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>(HB 575), ROA.3755, 3981-83; <b><span style="color: red;">would substantively amend Texas trust law</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>(HB 2782), ROA.3756, 3985-4017; and <b><span style="color: red;">would impose notification requirements on parents wishing to
take summer weekend possession of a child under a court order</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>(HB 553), ROA.3755, 4019.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">Diversity Initiatives.</span></b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">The Bar also has an “Office of Minority Affairs.” The
goals of this office include <b><span style="color: red;">“serv[ing] minority,
women, and LGBT attorneys and legal organizations in Texas” and “enhanc[ing] employment
and economic opportunities for minority, women, and LGBT attorneys in the legal
profession.”</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>ROA.3841. The Office of
Minority Affairs engages in “Minority Initiatives,” which are “ongoing forums, projects,
programs, and publications dedicated to [their] diversity efforts.” Id. These
initiatives include the Texas Minority Counsel Program, Texas Minority Attorney
Program, Minority Attorneys at the Podium Project, Diversity Forum, Diversity
Summit, LeadershipSBOT, Pipeline Program, Texas Spectrum (a diversity
newsletter), and the Ten Minute Mentor Program. ROA.3841-42.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All of the Bar’s “diversity” initiatives are premised on
the assumption that is appropriate to offer certain services targeted at
individuals of a particular race, gender, or sexual orientation. The Texas
Minority Counsel Program, for example, is a “client development, networking,
and CLE event for diverse attorneys in Texas,” which are defined as “minority, women,
and LGBT attorneys.” ROA.3845. This annual program allows “diverse lawyers” to
“meet one-on-one to discuss potential outside counsel opportunities” and offers
“incomparable networking events.” ROA.3853. The Bar also operates a host of <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">diversity committees and sections. ROA.3849-50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Access to Justice Division and Programs. The <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bar maintains a “Legal Access Division” that “offers support,
training, publications, resource materials, and more to legal services programs
and pro bono volunteers.” ROA.3874. During the 2018-2019 budgetary year, the
Bar spent over $1 million on Legal Access Division programs. ROA.3871. In
2019-2020, the Bar budgeted over $1.5 million for these activities. ROA.3867.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">The Bar spent an additional
$827,000 in 2018-2019 funding an “Access to Justice Commission</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">,”
and it intended to spend a similar amount during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. See
ROA.3871, 3867. The Access to Justice Commission engages in a variety of highly
political and ideological activities, including lobbying. See ROA.3942-45. The
Commission’s lobbying is aimed at “increas[ing] resources and funding for
access to justice,” ROA.1607, and <b><span style="color: red;">promoting
“systemic change,”</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>ROA.1619. <b><span style="color: red;">Simply put, bar members’ coerced dues are used to finance an organization
that lobbies to increase government spending on its preferred programs and
policies.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In connection with its pro bono and “access to justice
efforts,” ROA.3607, the Bar maintains a directory of “volunteer and resource
opportunities.” ROA.3887-88. <b><span style="color: red;">That directory
“provides a comprehen<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></b><!--[endif]--></span>sive
list of training, volunteer, and donation opportu<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></b><!--[endif]--></span>nities
for attorneys who would like to assist with migrant asylum and family
separation cases.</span></b>” Id. At the time this suit was filed, <b><span style="color: red;">every one of the relevant entries promoted a group that seeks
to help undocumented immigrants remain in the United States.</span></b> Id.
Moreover, the directory links to a 2018 article published by Joe K. Longley,
the then<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>President
of the Bar. In that article, Longley says he “traveled to the border to learn
how we can promote access to justice and the rule of law related to the separation
of immigrant families” and decided to create the volunteer opportunities
webpage as a result. ROA.3890-91. Even though Longley was <b><span style="color: red;">expressly encouraging Bar members to oppose immigration
policies being implemented by the federal government</span></b>, Longley
claimed that “[t]his is not about politics. It’s about access to justice.” Id.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Legal Services Fee. As noted above, <b><span style="color: red;">Texas law requires certain attorneys to pay a $65 legal
services fee</span></b>. Tex. Gov’t Code § 81.054(j). <b><span style="color: red;">This fee is imposed only on a subset of attorneys in active
private practice in Texas</span></b>. <b><span style="color: red;">The $65 legal
services fee has nothing to do with regulating the profession or ensuring
ethical conduct by attorneys. Its sole purpose is to fund legal services for
certain groups.</span></b> Half of the fees are allocated to the Supreme Court
Judicial Fund, which provides civil legal services to the poor, and the other half
goes to the Fair Defense Account of the State’s general reserve fund for
indigent criminal defense. See id. § 81.054(c). <b><span style="color: red;">This
fee is effectively a compelled charitable contribution that is imposed on
certain Texas attorneys as a condition of practicing their chosen profession.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Other Non-Chargeable Activities. <b><span style="color: red;">The Bar spends attorneys’ compelled dues on countless other activities
that extend far beyond the regulation of attorneys</span></b>. <b><span style="color: red;">The Bar hosts an annual convention at which political and
ideological activities are rampant. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">During the 2018 convention, for example, topics included
“Diversity and Inclusion: The Important Role of Allies”; “Current Issues
Affecting the Hispanic Community”; “LGBT Pathways to the Judiciary: Impact of
Openly LGBT Judges in Texas”; “Implicit Bias”; “Texas Transgender Attorneys: A
View from the Bar”; and a “Legislative Update [on] Proposed Rulemaking Under
the Trump Administration.” ROA.3904-28.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">The Bar also funds ideologically
charged continuing legal education programs</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">. See, e.g.,ROA.3879-82
<b><span style="color: red;">(“The Paradox of Bodily Autonomy: Sex Confirming
Surgeries and Circumcision”; “Intersectionality: The New Legal Imperative”).</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>It spends nearly $800,000 on advertising each year.
See ROA.3870. It publishes and exercises editorial control over its “official
publication,” the Texas Bar Journal, on which it spends over $1.5 million each
year. ROA.3947; ROA.3871. And to support these activities, the Bar spends
millions on administrative staff, technology, and facilities. See ROA.3866-72.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">D. Proceedings below. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1. On March 6, 2019, Petitioners—three Texas attorneys—brought
suit against the Bar’s officers and directors, alleging that: (1) the First
Amendment barred the state from compelling Petitioners to join a bar
association that engages in political and ideological activities; (2) even if
Petitioners could be compelled to join the Bar, they could not be compelled to
fund its political and ideological activities; and (3) the Bar’s procedures for
allowing members to opt<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>out
of paying for its political and ideological activities were constitutionally
inadequate. App. 11, 49-50.2<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Shortly thereafter, Petitioners filed a motion for preliminary
injunction and motion for partial summary judgment on liability. The Bar
cross-moved for summary judgment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On May 29, 2020, the district court denied Petitioners’
motions and granted the Bar’s cross<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>motion
for summary judgment. First, the district court concluded that “Keller and
Lathrop directly control under the facts of this case,” and thus foreclose Petitioners’
claim that compelling them to join the Bar violates the First Amendment. App.
57. Second, the district court found that every single one of the challenged
activities was “germane” to “Texas’s interest in professional regulation or
legal-service <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2 At the time this suit was filed, the Bar failed to
provide members a Hudson notice, a description of which portions of members’
dues are paying for regulatory functions and which portions are paying for
non-chargeable political and ideological activities. See Chicago Teachers Union
v. Hudson, 475 U.S. 292 (1986). This put the entire burden of identifying
non-chargeable expenses on potential objectors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">quality improvement.” App. 59-63. Finally, the district
court summarily rejected Petitioners’ challenge to the Bar’s procedures for
objecting to impermissible expenditures. App. 63-64. Because the court
concluded that all of the challenged activities were “germane” it further held
that Petitioners’ “claim that the Bar unconstitutionally coerces them into funding
allegedly non-chargeable activities without a meaningful opportunity to object
necessarily fails as a matter of law.” App. 64 And the court found that the Bar’s
opt-out procedures were “adequate” to “protect against compelled speech.” App.
64.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2. Petitioners appealed. On July 2, 2021, the Fifth
Circuit vacated the summary judgment for the Bar, rendered partial summary
judgment for Petitioners, and remanded for the district court to determine the
scope of relief to which plaintiffs are entitled. App. 43. The court concluded
that Keller left open the question of whether attorneys can be compelled to
join a bar association that engages in “non-germane” activities. App. 16-17
n.14, 40. The Fifth Circuit then answered that question by holding that
“compelling a lawyer to join a bar association engaged in non-germane
activities burdens his or her First Amendment right to freedom of association,”
App. 21, and that “[c]ompelled membership in a bar association that engages in
non-germane activities ... fails exacting scrutiny.” App. 23. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The court then analyzed each of the challenged activities
at issue here to determine whether they were germane to regulating or improving
the legal profession. App. 25-36. It held that “some” of the Bar’s “lobbying
was germane, but most was not.” App. 27. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The court held that “advocating changes to a state’s substantive
law is non-germane to the purposes identified in Keller,” but that “[l]obbying
for legislation regarding the functioning of the state’s courts or legal system
writ large … is germane.” App. 26. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit found most of the remaining activities
to be germane under Keller: the Bar’s diversity initiatives, “though highly
ideologically charged,” were germane to improving the legal profession, App.
29; “[m]ost, but not quite all,” of the Bar’s Access to Justice initiatives were
germane; and “all” of the “miscellaneous activities—hosting an annual
convention, running CLE programs, and publishing the Texas Bar Journal—” were
germane. App. 31-36. The court found these activities to be “germane to the
purposes identified by Keller” notwithstanding their “controversial and
ideological nature.” App. 29-30. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Finally, the court held that the Bar’s procedures were
“constitutionally wanting” but that “at least under current law, opt-in
procedures are [not] required.” App. 39. It concluded that the Bar “may use opt-out
procedures,” as long as it employs the notice procedures outlined in Hudson,
which are “both necessary and sufficient.” App. 39-40. The court concluded that
the Bar’s current procedures were“inadequate” under that framework. App. 41. Petitioners
do not challenge the Fifth Circuit’s holdings that some of the Bar’s lobbying
was non-germane; that they cannot be compelled to join the Bar while it engages
in non-germane activities; and that the Bar’s procedures for disclosing its
activities were inadequate. But Petitioners now seek this Court’s review of the
lower courts’ grant of summary judgment to the Bar on Petitioners’ challenge to
the remaining expenditures and activities that were found to be “germane.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">REASONS FOR GRANTING THE PETITION<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The First Amendment does not allow states to force an
individual to join and fund an organization that engages in political and
ideological activities. By concluding otherwise, the Fifth Circuit “decided an important
federal question in a way that conflicts with relevant decisions of this
Court.” S. Ct. R. 10(c). This Court’s precedents do not require that
conclusion; if they did, those precedents should be overruled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I. The Court should grant certiorari because the
decision below misconstrues Keller and Lathrop and conflicts with this Court’s
morerecent compelled-membership decisions. Texas law requires all attorneys to
join and associate with the Bar as a condition of practicing their chosen
profession even though the Bar engages in extensive political and ideological
activities. This scheme is unconstitutional even under current law, and the
Fifth Circuit erred to the extent it heldotherwise. Keller prohibits compelled
membership in a bar association that engages in political and ideological
activities, and subsequent decisions such as Harris and Janus confirm this
understanding. At a minimum, this Court’s precedents prohibit Texas from
compelling support for bar activities that extend beyond regulatory and
disciplinary functions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All citizens have the constitutional “freedom not to
associate.” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Roberts v.
U.S. Jaycees, 468 U.S. 609, 623 (1984)</span>. “Compelling individuals to mouth
support for views they find objectionable,” including by compelled association,
“violates that cardinal constitutional command.” <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2463</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Moreover, “freedom of speech ‘includes both the right to
speak freely and the right to refrain from speaking at all,’” and compelled
subsidization of someone else’s speech “seriously impinges on First Amendment rights.”
Id. at 2463-64.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;">Here, Texas law compels attorneys to join, associate with,
and fund the Bar even though that organization engages in extensive political
and ideological activities to which many of its members object</span></b>. <span style="color: red;">The Bar lobbies for the passage of legislation; funds
numerous diversity initiatives targeted at individuals of a certain race,
gender, or sexual orientation; sponsors ideologically charged CLEs and panels;
compels charitable contributions to pay for legal services, pro bono, and
access to justice initiatives; requires members to fund its magazine; and much
more</span>. See supra 9-13. Since the First Amendment always protects “[t]he
right to eschew association for expressive purposes,” there is no question that
compelled membership in the Bar burdens Petitioners’ constitutional rights.
Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2463.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">To reduce the burden on constitutional rights resulting
from compelled bar membership, <b><span style="color: red;">this Court has held
that bar members may be compelled to support only those activities that are
“germane” to regulating attorneys or <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">improving</span> the legal profession</span></b>. See Keller, 496 U.S.
at 13-14. This Court has never addressed whether any specific expendi<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>tures
are “germane.” But this Court’s precedents in both the bar and the union
context are clear that politically and ideologically charged activities can never
be funded through compelled dues without members’ consent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit correctly held that <span style="color: red;">lobbying for changes to substantive law unrelated to the
legal profession was non-germane under Keller </span>and that Petitioners could
not be required to associate with and financially support the Bar so long as it
engaged in those activities. App. 25-29. But the court nonetheless held that
the other challenged activities were nearly all germane despite their
“controversial and ideological nature.” App. 29-36. That holding rests on a
misinterpretation of Keller and Lathrop. Those decisions—especially when read
in light of subsequent decisions like Harris and Janus—make clear that compelling
Petitioners to join and associate with the Bar notwithstanding its significant
political and ideological activities exceeds bedrock First Amendment
limitations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit reasoned that, in Keller, this Court
“held that state bar associations may constitutionally charge mandatory dues to
‘fund activities germane’ to ‘the purpose[s] for which compelled association
was justified,’ i.e., ‘regulating the legal profession and improving the
quality of legal services.’” App. 18. Acknowledging that “Keller did not lay
down a test to determine when lobbying is germane and when it is not,” the
Fifth Circuit addressed that issue as a matter of first impression. App. 26.
Among other things, the court stated that “advocating changes to a state’s
substantive law is non-germane.” App. 26. But it concluded that “[l]obbying for
legislation regarding the functioning of the state’s courts or legal system
writ large, on the other hand, is germane. So too is advocating for laws governing
the activities of lawyers qua lawyers.” App. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">26.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit reached a similar conclusion with respect
to the other challenged activities, such as the Bar’s identity-based
“diversity” initiatives; its advocacy on immigration issues; and its legal aid programs.
App. 29-36. Despite acknowledging that these activities could be seen as
“controversial and ideological,” App. 30, the court concluded that (with limited
exceptions) they were sufficiently “germane” to regulating and improving the
legal profession to pass muster under Keller. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Properly construed, however, nothing in Keller grants
state bar associations plenary power to spend coerced dues on political or
ideological activities so long as they satisfy an amorphous germaneness test. To
the contrary, Keller expressly identified “activities of an ideological nature”
as an example of non-germane activities. As the Court explained: The State Bar
may therefore constitutionally fund activities germane to those goals out of
the mandatory dues of all members. It may not, however, in such manner fund
activities of an ideological nature which fall outside of those areas of
activity. Keller, 496 U.S. at 14. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The best reading of this language is that “activities of
an ideological nature” necessarily “fall outside those areas” of permissible
activity. Id. Indeed, if a bar association had blanket authority to force its
members to associate with and fund ideologically charged activities merely
because they could be deemed “germane,” then Keller would provide little meaningful
protection at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But even if Keller were open to multiple interpretations
on this point, the Fifth Circuit’s approach is contrary to this Court’s more
recent precedents regarding coerced association. In Harris, decided in 2014,
the Court explained that Keller “held that members of this bar could not be
required to pay the portion of bar dues used for political or ideological purposes
but that they could be required to pay the portion of the dues used for
activities connected with proposing ethical codes and disciplining bar members.”
Harris, 573 U.S. at 655 (emphasis added).Harris eliminates any doubt that, even
under Keller’s“germaneness” framework, objectors cannot be compelled to support
activities of a “political or ideological” nature. They are non-germane as a matter
of law, full stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This conclusion is
reflected in this Court’s decision in <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Ass’n, 544 U.S. 550 (2005).</span>
There, the Court explained that Keller had “invalidated the use of the
compulsory fees to fund speech on political matters” and held that “Bar or union
speech with such content ... was not germane to the regulatory interests that
justified compelled membership.” Id. at 557-58. Keller also held, according to
Johanns, that “making those who disagreed with [that speech] pay for it
violated the First Amendment.” Id. at 558. Thus, even if there were some
ambiguity about the scope of Keller, later decisions such as Harris and Johanns
resolve it decisively in Petitioners’ favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Petitioners’ interpretation is further buttressed by this Court’s recent
decision in Janus. There, the Court similarly distinguished between speech that
is “germane to collective bargaining” and speech that “instead concerns
political or ideological issues.” Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2473. The Court never
suggested that there was a third category of speech that concerned political or
ideological issues but was germane to collective bargaining. And the Court further
emphasized that even “[u]nder Abood”—the principal case upon which Keller
relied—and other pre-Janus precedents, compulsory organizations are “flatly prohibited
from permitting nonmembers to be charged” for speech that “concerns political
or ideological issues.” Id. (emphasis added).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At bottom, the Fifth Circuit correctly recognized that
bar members could not be compelled to support lobbying activity unrelated to
the legal profession. But the Fifth Circuit’s interpretation of Keller gives mandatory
bars sweeping power to compel their members to support even highly
controversial political and ideological activities so long as those activities
bear some connection to legal services or the legal profession. That holding is
contrary to both Keller and later decisions of this Court that recognize citizens’
paramount First Amendment right to decline to associate with or fund
ideological activities with which they disagree. Certiorari is warranted to
review and reverse this decision on an important question of federal law that
deprives hundreds of thousands of attorneys of bedrock First Amendment
protections.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">II. In the alternative, the Court should
overrule Lathrop and Keller. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For the reasons set forth above, Petitioners should prevail
on their First Amendment challenge to the Bar’s use of coerced funds for all
the political and ideological activities challenged here. But, in the alternative,
if the Fifth Circuit was right that Keller and Lathrop actually permit the Bar
to force Petitioners to associate with and fund these activities, then those
decisions should be overruled. Stare decisis ensures that decisions to overrule
precedent are not taken “lightly.” Kisor v. Wilkie, 139 S. Ct. 2400, 2445
(2019) (Gorsuch, J., concurring in the judgment). “At the same time, everyone
agrees that stare decisis is not an inexorable command.” Id. (cleaned up). For
this reason, almost “every current Member of this Court has voted to overrule
multiple constitutional precedents” in “just the last few Terms.” Ramos v.
Louisiana, 140 S. Ct. 1390, 1411 (2020) (Kavanaugh, J., concurring in part).
Moreover, this Court has recognized that stare decisis “‘is at its weakest when
[the Court] interpret[s] the Constitution.’” Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2478. And it applies
with the “least force of all to decisions that wrongly den[y] First Amendment
rights.” Id.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When deciding whether to overrule precedent, this
Court considers several “factors”: “the quality of [the case’s] reasoning, the
workability of the rule it established, its consistency with other related decisions,
developments since the decision was handed down, and reliance on the decision.”
Id. at 2478-79. Analyzing these factors makes it clear that if Keller and
Lathrop really do authorize coerced support for nearly all of the highly
political and ideological activities challenged here, then those decisions
should be overruled. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A. Keller and Lathrop are poorly reasoned,
inconsistent with the Court’s more recent decisions, and have wrought
significant negative consequences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the Fifth Circuit recognized, this Court’s broader
First Amendment jurisprudence has “changed dramatically” “[s]ince Lathrop and
Kellerwere decided.” App. 16 n.14. Indeed, these cases are now “First Amendment
‘anomal[ies].’” Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2484.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">25<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This Court has already rejected Keller’s legal foundation.
In Janus, the Court <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">overruled
Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, 431 U.S. 209 (1977)</span>, as poorly
reasoned and inconsistent with broader First Amendment jurisprudence. 138 S.
Ct. at 2460. The Court held that “States and public-sector unions may no longer
extract agency fees from nonconsenting employees.” Id. at 2486. That decision
explicitly overturned Abood. See id. (“Abood was wrongly decided and is now
overruled.”). As the Court explained, Abood threatened “[f]undamental free speech
rights” and “perpetuat[ed] … free speech violations” without adequate
justification, especially given the existence of other “‘means significantly
less restrictive of associational freedoms.’” Id. at 2460, 2466. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Keller’s holding, as construed by the Fifth Circuit, is
untenable for the same reasons. As the Fifth Circuit recognized, Keller “rested
almost exclusively on Abood.” App. 16 n.14. Keller simply extended Abood’sreasoning
to mandatory bars given the “substantial analogy between the relationship of
the State Bar and its members, on the one hand, and the relationship of employee
unions and their members, on the other.” Keller, 496 U.S. at 12. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Now that Abood “is no longer good law,” however,
“there is effectively nothing left supporting [the Court’s] decision in
Keller.” Jarchow, 140 S. Ct. at 1720 (Thomas, J., dissenting from the denial of
cert.). Having a different constitutional rule for government unions and bar
associations would be untenable given that this Court itself has recognized the
close similarities between the two situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lathrop also failed to give “careful consideration” to the First
Amendment. Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2479.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed,
the term “First Amendment” appears only twice in the plurality’s 28-page
opinion. The Lathrop plurality relied heavily on <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Railway Employees’ Department. v. Hanson, 351 U.S. 225
(1956)</span>, to conclude that compelled membership in a state bar is permissible.
See <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Lathrop v. Donohue,
367 U.S. 820, 842-43 (1961)</span> (plurality op.). But such reliance was “unwarranted.”
Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2479. Hanson involved the “‘bare authorization’” of
private union shop contracts, not government compulsion. Id. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, as this Court has already explained,
Hanson’s First Amendment analysis was “thin,” and its holding was “quite
narrow.” Harris, 573 U.S. at 631, 636. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Additionally, Hanson primarily dealt with the Commerce
Clause and substantive due process. SeeJanus, 138 S. Ct. at 2479. The First
Amendment issue was “disposed of … in a single, unsupported sentence.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harris, 573 U.S. at 635. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Lathrop also rests on reasoning that would be unrecognizable
today. There, the Wisconsin Bar adopted a mandatory membership policy because
“too many lawyers have refrained or refused to join, … membership in the
voluntary association has become static, and … a substantial minority of the
lawyers in the state are not associated with the State Bar Association.” 367
U.S. at 833 (cleaned up). Simply put, because the bar was not attracting enough
voluntary membership, the state decided to coerce it. That reasoning is wholly
foreign to modern First Amendment jurisprudence, which ensures robust protection
for individuals who choose not to associate with or support causes or groups
with which they disagree. See, e.g., Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2466 (noting voluntary
union membership in 28 states and at the federal level as a less restrictive
alternative to mandatory membership).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Lathrop thus cannot be sustained under the Court’s
earlier reasoning. By the time Lathrop was decided, even Justice Douglas—Hanson’s
author—had recognized the First Amendment dangers resulting from coerced
membership and “conclu[ded] that the First Amendment did not permit compulsory membership
in an integrated bar.” Harris, 573 U.S. at 630; see also Lathrop, 573 U.S. at
885 (Douglas, J., dissenting) (noting that compulsory membership in a mandatory
bar is “not compatible with the First Amendment”). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Equally important, Keller and Lathrop have inflicted
significant “real-world” damage on Petitioners and countless other bar members
across the country. Ramos, 140 S. Ct. at 1415 (Kavanaugh, J., concurring in
part). The First Amendment is “essential to our democratic form of government.”
Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2464. This Court has accordingly worked to fulfill the
First Amendment’s foundational promise that individuals may not be “coerced
into betraying their convictions.” Id. Yet for more than 60 years, Lathrop’s
indifference to the First Amendment has allowed “men and women in [the legal]
profession” to be “regimented behind causes which they oppose.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lathrop, 367 U.S. at 884 (Douglas, J.,
dissenting). “Surely a First Amendment issue of this importance deserve[s]
better treatment.” Harris, 573 U.S. at 636. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the end, “[f]orcing free and independent individuals
to endorse ideas they find objectionable is always demeaning.” Janus, 138 U.S.
at 2464. And “lawyers have at least as much protection from such compulsion
under the Constitution as [anyone else].” Lathrop, 367 U.S. at 877 (Black, J.,
dissenting). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Keller and Lathrop
really permit the Bar to compel support for the highly controversial and
ideological activities challenged in this case, then those decisions should be
overruled to stop the associational harms the Bar has inflicted on Petitioners
and to bring“greater coherence to our First Amendment law.” Janus, 138 S. Ct.
at 2484. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">B. It is inherently unworkable for courts
to parse out chargeable and non-chargeable activities based on an amorphous
“germaneness” test. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The decision below confirms that Keller and Lathrop
have “proved unworkable.” Id. at 2486. “Lathrop held that lawyers may constitutionally
be mandated to join a bar association that solely regulates the legal
profession and improves the quality of legal services.” App. 19. And “Keller identified
that Lathrop did not decide whether lawyers may be constitutionally mandated to
join a bar association that engages in other, nongermane activities.” App. 19.
But Keller didn’t “resolve that question” either. App. 19. Instead, both Keller
and Lathrop left that “‘difficult question’” to the lower courts. App. 25. In
remanding that issue while providing little guidance to the lower courts, this Court
admitted that “[p]recisely where the line falls” between professional
regulation and ideological imposition “will not always be easy to discern.”
Keller, 496 U.S. at 15. That was an understatement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Fifth Circuit’s opinion illustrates as much. “For
activities to be germane,” the court explained, “they must be ‘necessarily or
reasonably incurred for’ th[e] purposes” of “‘regulating the legal profession
and improving the quality of legal services.’” App. 24. The Fifth Circuit’s
application of the germaneness test underscores that there is no clear and
consistent way to segregate germane and non-germane expenditures in a manner
that gives adequate breathing room to the important First Amendment interests
at stake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Take lobbying. The Bar’s lobbying, the Fifth Circuit
held, can be germane or non-germane depending on the circumstances. See App. 25
(the Bar’s lobbying “is neither entirely germane nor wholly non-germane”). For
example, lobbying to make substantive changes to Texas family law is
“obviously” non-germane. App. 27. Lobbying to create “‘exemption[s] regarding
the appointment of pro bono volunteers’” is clearly germane. App. 28. And
lobbying for changes to Texas trust law is germane “to the extent the changes
affect lawyer’s duties when serving as trustees,” and non-germane “to the
extent the changes do not.” App. 28. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">From the perspective of the First Amendment interests
at stake, these distinctions are untenable. A dissenting bar member who does
want to support the Bar’s political agenda suffers the same burden on his or
her First Amendment rights regardless of whether the legislation at issue is
deemed “germane.” Indeed, in the context of public employee unions, this Court has
made clear that lobbying is a paradigmatic example of a political activity that
can never be funded through coerced dues or fees. See Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2481
(“reject[ing] ... out of hand” the argument that “costs of lobbying” are
chargeable); Keller, 496 U.S. at 15-16 (finding it “clear” that “[c]ompulsory
dues may not be expended to endorse or advance a gun control or nuclear weapons
freeze initiative”); Knox v. Service Employees Intern. Union, Local 1000, 567
U.S. 298, 323 (2012) (Sotomayor, J., concurring in the judgment) (“When a public-sector
union imposes a special assessment intended to fund solely political lobbying
efforts, the First Amendment requires that the union provide nonmembers an
opportunity to opt out of the contribution of funds.”). Yet the Fifth Circuit’s
interpretation of the “germaneness” test allows objectors to be forced to
support significant portions of the Bar’s inherently political lobbying activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The other activities challenged here further illustrate
the flaws of the germaneness test. <b><span style="color: red;">Few questions
have been more divisive across the country than identity-based programs
targeted at individuals of a certain race, gender, or sexual orientation.</span></b>
See App. 29 (noting that such programs “have spawned sharply divided public
debate and widespread, contentious litigation”). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">The Bar has an abundance of such
programs</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">. See supra 10-13. Yet the Fifth Circuit allowed these
admittedly “highly ideologically charged programs” to be funded through coerced
dues because the Bar claimed they were germane to improving the quality of
legal services. App. 29. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Similarly, <b><span style="color: red;">although
immigration policy remains a hotly contested topic of national debate, the
Fifth Circuit allowed the Bar to use coerced dues to fund its immigration
advocacy because these activities were “germane” to improving legal services
for low-income individuals</span></b>. App. 31-34. If the “germaneness” test is
so capacious as to allow coerced dues to be used for these highly charged
activities, then it provides little meaningful protection at all for the
paramount First Amendment interests at stake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At bottom, the ongoing validity of a “germaneness” First
Amendment standard for bar members was always on uneasy constitutional footing
but is entirely untenable in light of Janus. Janus explained that“Abood’s line
between chargeable and nonchargeable union expenditures has prove[n] to be
impossible to draw with precision.” 138 S. Ct. at 2481. And subsequent efforts
by this Court to clarify the line in the union context, including a test
focusing on germaneness, see Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Assn., 500 U.S. 507, 519
(1991), were unworkable and led to persistent “‘give it a try’” litigation. Janus,
138 S. Ct. at 2481. In the end, this Court’s precedents “have still not
provided [lower] courts with a ‘workable standard.’” Bridge Aina Le’a LLC v.
Hawaii Land Use Comm’n, 141 S. Ct. 731, 731 (2021) (Thomas, J., dissenting from
the denial of cert.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">C. Keller and Lathrop have generated no legitimate
reliance interests. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Overruling Keller and Lathrop would not unduly upset
any legitimate reliance interests. Nearly half of states do not have mandatory
bars at all, and those that do can easily transition to other, alternative arrangements
that are “‘less restrictive of associational freedoms.’” App. 23. Moreover, any
potential inconvenience to the states is rendered trivial when compared to the
“windfall” gained from decades of unconstitutional mandatory memberships and
dues. Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2486. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">States certainly have an interest in regulating the legal
profession, but compelled bar association membership is not necessary to
advance that interest. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today, nearly twenty states regulate the legal profession
directly without resort to mandatory bars. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>App. 23-24. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Those states include some of the largest legal
markets, such as New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. See id. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In those jurisdictions, the government regulates,
licenses, and disciplines lawyers directly, without also requiring them to
join, fund, or associate with an ‘integrated’ bar association. There is no
“reasonab[e] [argument] that those states are unable to regulate their legal professions
adequately.” Id. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Nor does the absence of compulsory membership sound
the death knell for bar associations. Quite the opposite. Even without Lathrop
and Keller, bar associations will continue to have carte blanche to engage in
any advocacy efforts of their choosing—no matter how political or
ideological—so long as they can obtain voluntary support from their members for
those activities. The New York State Bar Association, for example, is supported
solely by voluntary memberships and contributions. Today, it boasts over 70,000
members, more than 125 employees, and more than $20 million in annual revenue.
See About NYSBA, History and Structure of the Ass’n, archive.nysba.org/history/;
2020 Operating Budget, bit.ly/3l5VyjB. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Furthermore, a transition away from mandatory bars is
neither impossible nor overly burdensome. States can and have successfully
transitioned to “‘less restrictive’” alternatives. Knox, 567 U.S. at 310. In 2018,
the largest bar in the United States, the State Bar of California, underwent
such a transition. See Lyle Moran, California Split: 1 Year After Nation’s Largest
Bar Became 2 Entities, Observers See Positive Change, ABA Journal (Feb. 4,
2019), bit.ly/3xuSroN. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; line-height: 107%;">After years of complaints,
California split off its Bar’s educational, networking, and advocacy programs
into a separate, voluntary association</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">. See id. The Bar, in turn,
refocused on lawyer admissions and discipline. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See id. The transition to a less-restrictive
alternative has been a boon to both organizations, which can now fully pursue
their distinct missions while lessening the First Amendment injury to attorneys
who did not support it. See id.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Finally, state bars “have been on notice for years” about
the First Amendment issues posed by mandatory and integrated state bars. Janus,
138 U.S. at 2484. Overruling Keller and Lathrop would not come as a surprise.
Two years ago, the former CEO of the Arizona Bar explained that “conversations
[about restructuring mandatory bars] [had been] happening across the country.”
Moran, supra. <b><span style="color: red;">Given the rising tide of legislation
and legal challenges to mandatory bars</span></b>, the former CEO added that
“we [in Arizona] are doing some contingency planning and asking our<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>selves
what we would need to do if we had to change our current model.” Id. The
National Association of Bar Executives has likewise “hosted discussions at its meetings
about the changing landscape facing manda<span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span>tory bars.” Id.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In sum, mandatory state bars can and must transition
to less-restrictive alternatives that prevent attorneys from being coopted into
supporting causes and activities with which they disagree. Such transitions
“may cause [these organizations] to experience unpleasant transition costs in
the short term” and “may require [them] to make adjustments in order to attract
and retain members.” Janus, 138 S. Ct. at 2485-86. But those costs must be
weighed “against the considerable windfall” that state bars have received for
decades. Id. at 2486. In fact, under Keller and Lathrop “[i]t is hard to [even]
estimate how many billions of dollars have been taken … in violation of the
First Amendment.” Id. Regardless, these “unconstitutional exactions cannot be
allowed to continue indefinitely.” Id. If Keller and Lathropactually allow
Texas to force Petitioners to associate with and fund the litany of political
and ideological activities challenged here, then those decisions should be
reconsidered based on first principles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This Court should grant the petition and reverse the
decision below in part. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">November 24, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Jeffrey M. Harris<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Counsel of Record<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">William S. Consovoy<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Cameron T. Norris<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Tiffany H. Bates<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CONSOVOY MCCARTHY PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1600 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 700<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Arlington, VA 22209<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(703) 243-9423<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">jeff@consovoymccarthy.com<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Attorneys for Petitio<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-69757786544782876892021-12-13T11:52:00.002-08:002021-12-13T11:52:25.333-08:00How the New York Legislature has created a jurisdictional prohibition for ALL State County judges to preside over trials in criminal felony proceedings<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/JUD/14"><span style="background-color: #ffa400;">New York State Judiciary Law Section 14</span> provides:</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"Disqualification of judge by reason of interest or
consanguinity Judiciary (JUD) CHAPTER 30, ARTICLE 2</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">§ 14. Disqualification of judge by reason of interest or
consanguinity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">A judge <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">shall
not sit as such in, or take any part in the decision of, an action, claim,
matter, motion or proceeding</span> to which he is a party, or in which he has
been attorney or counsel, or in which he is interested, or if he is related by
consanguinity or affinity to any party to the controversy within the sixth
degree. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The degree shall be ascertained by ascending from the judge
to the common ancestor, descending to the party, counting a degree for each
person in both lines, including the judge and party, and excluding the common
ancestor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">But no judge of a court of record shall be disqualified in
any action, claim, matter, motion or proceeding in which an insurance company
is a party or is interested by reason of his being a policy holder therein.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">No judge shall be deemed disqualified from passing upon any
litigation before him because of his ownership of shares of stock or other securities
of a corporate litigant, provided that the parties, by their attorneys, in
writing, or in open court upon the record, waive any claim as to
disqualification of the judge."</span><o:p></o:p></p>Let's look at the first paragraph of the law once again and closer:<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A judge </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: red;">shall not</span></b> </span></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">sit as such in, or </span></li><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">take any part in the decision of, </span></li><ul><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">an action, </span></li><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">claim, </span></li><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">matter, </span></li><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">motion or </span></li><li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: x-large;">proceeding</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></li></ul></ul><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">That is an absolute, jurisdictional prohibition to even participate in multi-judge panels deciding court cases, much less to preside and make decisions as a sole judge.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">So, when does that absolute prohibition apply?</span></p></span><p></p><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">sit as such in, or </span>take any part in the decision of, </span></li><ul><ul><li><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: x-large;">an action, </span></li><li><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: x-large;">claim, </span></li><li><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: x-large;">matter, </span></li><li><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: x-large;">motion or </span></li><li><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: x-large;">proceeding</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></li></ul></ul><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">to </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">which the judge is </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: x-large;">a party, or </span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: red;">in which he has been attorney or counsel</span></b>, or </span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-large;">in which he is interested, or </span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-large;">if he is related by consanguinity or affinity to any party to the controversy within the sixth degree."</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, if a judge has been "an attorney or counsel" in a certain proceeding, he may not participate in that proceeding as a trial or motion or appellate judge, that is clear, right?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Now, how can a judge become "an attorney <b><span style="color: red;">or counsel</span></b>" in a legal proceedings?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">One scenario</span></b> would be that BEFORE BECOMING A JUDGE, the judge, as an attorney, represented a person in the same proceedings which he is not assigned to as a judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In such a case the judge must immediately recuse himself.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Another scenario</b> </span></span>demonstrates that even an Assembly full of lawyers and having, at taxpayer expense, a huge legal department, can produce crazy legislation that upends validity of all criminal felony proceedings and convictions in the state, putting ALL County judges under the absolute prohibition of Judiciary Law Section 14.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://newyork.public.law/laws/n.y._criminal_procedure_law_section_190.25">New York State Legislature, in its utmost wisdom, armed with taxpayer money and advice from crowds of lawyers, produced this masterpiece of stupidity:</a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Criminal Procedure Law of the State of New York, (CPL) § 190.25(6)</span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span> TA \l "Criminal Procedure Law of
the State of New York, (CPL) § 190(25)(6)" \s "Criminal Procedure Law
of the State of New York, (CPL) § 190(25)(6)" \c 2 </span><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">: </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: red;">The legal advisors of the grand jury are
the court and the district attorney</span></b>, </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">and <b><span style="color: red;">the grand jury may not seek
or receive legal advice from any other source</span></b>. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Where necessary or appropriate, <b><span style="color: red;">the
court or the district attorney, or both, must instruct the grand jury
concerning the law with respect to its duties or any matter before it</span></b>, and
<b><span style="color: red;">such instructions must be recorded in the minutes”.</span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span>What can possible be wrong about this setup?</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span>Well, a couple of things.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">First</span>, <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/JUD/14">New York State Judiciary Law 90(2)(b) provides that giving legal advice constitutes the practice of law</a>.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Second</span>, New York State Constitution </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Article VI § 20(b)(4) </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">specifically and unambigously prohibits practice of law by County judges:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">“A judge of the court of appeals, justice of the supreme
court, judge of the court of claims, </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">judge of a county court</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, judge of
the surrogate's court, judge of the family court or judge of a court for the
city of New York established pursuant to section fifteen of this article who is
elected or appointed after the effective date of this article </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">may not</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span>(4)
</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">engage in the practice of law</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, act as an arbitrator, referee or
compensated mediator in any action or proceeding or matter or engage in the
conduct of any other profession or business which interferes with the
performance of his or her judicial duties.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Given the clear and unambiguous prohibition by the New York State Constitution, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">the New York State Legislature had no authority</span> to not only </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ALLOW County judges to practice law in being legal advisors of grand juries when grand juries investigate and draft criminal charges in criminal cases,</span></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">but also</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">to PROHIBIT grand juries ANY OTHER CHOICE OF LEGAL ADVISOR, BUT the County judge OR the prosecutor, OR BOTH, working as a team.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Third</span> (as to the latter prohibition), NOBODY, a physical or a legal person or a government entity may be deprived of a CHOICE of a legal advisor OF THEIR CHOICE, WHO THEY TRUST.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The New York Legislature has managed to violate this simple rule, too, by PROHIBITING the grand jury to use/trust any other legal advisors but the judge (who, by the State Constitution, may not give legal advice) and the prosecutor.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">fourth</span>, let's consider Judiciary Law 14 together with Criminal Procedure Law 190.25(6).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Under Judiciary Law 14, a judge SHALL NOT (absolute prohibition) participate in court proceedings where he was "an attorney or counsel".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Under Criminal Procedure Law </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">190.25(6) the judge MUST be an attorney or counsel for the grand jury - and an exclusive one, together with the prosecutor, too - even though the judge is PROHIBITED to be a legal advisor to anybody by the State Constitution.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Let us draw a parallel with a civil case.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Let's consider a document that starts a civil lawsuit in the State of New York - a "complaint".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The complaint is drafted by attorney/legal advisor for the Plaintiff.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Imagine if that attorney who have drafted the Plaintiff's initial pleading giving the court jurisdiction (complaint) then becomes a judge who rules over the case. Impossible, obviously violates Judiciary Law 14 - and the U.S. Constitution, 14th Amendment Due Process Clause (the right to an impartial judge) on top of that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Now let's go back to the grand jury proceedings in a felony case. The grand jury also produces an initial document suing the defendant in the criminal case, upon which the court bases its jurisdiction for the criminal felony proceedings.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Similarly to the civil case, the legal advisor drafts that document. Who is the legal advisor? The team of the judge and the prosecutor. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After the judge creates the indictment AS A LEGAL ADVISOR of the grand jury (which is prohibited by the State Constitution, but mandated by the State Legislature in CPL 190.25(6)), the judge then presides over the felony case in the trial (which is prohibited by the State Legislature in Judiciary Law 14).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am not even talking about a judge forming a team in giving that unconstitutional legal advise with the prosecution and then pretending that the judge is neutral and impartial presiding over prosecution of the document the judge created in ex parte communications with the prosecutor - which is a violation of both judicial and prosecutorial codes of conduct.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />Yet, since there is a point in all grand jury proceedings in the State of New York when <b><span style="color: red;">the prosecution BLENDS/MERGES with the judge</span></b> - in giving legal advice to the grand jury while creating the first pleading in the case, the jurisdictional pleading, the accusatory instrument - the judge may not later on disattach himself from the prosecution and pretend that NOW the judge is separate and distinct from the prosecutor and is now somehow neutral - the judge can't unring the bell, he HAS MERGED with the prosecutor in creating the accusatory instrument, it cannot be undone, it VOIDS THE WHOLE CASE, making the whole proceedings, including the conviction, JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE, and thus null and void.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/15-5040#writing-15-5040_SYLLABUS">U.S. Supreme Court has ruled just 5 years ago</a> that proceedings and their results are void where even ONE out of MANY judges in the presiding panel was also prosecutor in the same case.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In New York, the trial judge BLENDS with the prosecutor in all felony cases <b><span style="color: red;">as a matter of legislative mandate!</span></b> Thank you, New York State Legislature, for the mess!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am not even talking about the fact that, under the agency law the lawyer/legal advisor of the party is considered "to stand in the shoes of the principal" and "to be the voice of the principal".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The principal (client) in this case is - the GRAND JURY.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, in ALL felony proceedings in New York state THERE IS NO JUDGE! <b>The judge </b>has disappeared/ <b>has been eliminated</b> by <b>blending the judge </b>with </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">co-legal advisor/prosecutor AND </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">the client/ the grand jury.</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But, that's not all yet!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A legal advisor owes the DUTY OF LOYALTY to its client - the GRAND JURY in this case. Owing the duty of loyalty to the client, the grand jury, that has created the accusatory instrument, how can the judge then pretend neutrality in presiding over the same case as a judge?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It is the same as advising a civil plaintiff what to put into a civil lawsuit/complaint - and then preside over it as a judge.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A PROFOUND MESS.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I wonder when this mess will be addressed <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">by a civil rights action in federal court</span> <b><span style="color: red;">challenging constitutionality of New York CPL 190.25(6) that has disqualified ALL criminal court judges in felony proceedings</span></b> by making them (in violation of the State Constitution, on the one hand, and of the defendant's 14th Amendment Due Process right to a fair and impartial judge, on the other hand) exclusive (with prosecutors) legal advisors of the grand juries in creating indictments - or <span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b><span style="color: red;">by a writ of prohibition from a criminal case to the Appellate Division</span></b>, since the prohibition of Judiciary Law 14 is of jurisdictional nature</span>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Of course, courts will then face a very sticky dilemma - </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">to agree that the New York Legislature has messed up big time (which is visible plainly from the texts of statutes and the New York State Constitution cited above) and thus invalidate ALL felony convictions in the State from the time CPL 190.25(6) has been enacted,</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Or, as it usually happens, </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">to refuse to look the law in the face and try to tiptoe around the topic with some word-gymnastics that judges and lawyers are so capable of doing - up until the point when it will blow into everybody's faces when there will be mass challenges of that "law".</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, the issue of disqualification of <b>all </b>County judges in <b>all</b> felony proceedings in New York due to a head-on collision of state statutes is out in the open, and ripe for the taking for the challengers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoFootnoteText"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p><div><br /></div><p></p><div></div>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-16918466291822837702021-12-13T10:37:00.004-08:002021-12-13T10:37:32.699-08:00On the improper use by criminal prosecutors of sealed juvenile adjudications in criminal proceedings in New York<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 2em;"><a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/family-court-act/fct-sect-381-2.html"><span style="font-size: large;">New York State Family Court Act § 381.2, entitled "Use of records in other courts," provides:</span></a></span></p><blockquote style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"1. <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Neither the fact that a person was before the family court under this article for a hearing</span> <span style="background-color: #ffa400;">nor any confession, admission or statement made by him to the court or to any officer thereof in any stage of the proceeding</span> i<span style="background-color: #01ffff;">s admissible as evidence against him or his interests </span><b><span style="color: red;">in any other court.</span></b></span></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, another court, in imposing sentence upon an adult after conviction may receive and consider the records and information on file with the family court, unless such records and information have been sealed pursuant to section 375.1."</span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/REPORTER/3dseries/2012/2012_04727.htm">Here is how a New York appellate court applied this statutory prohibition to use juvenile delinquency adjudications IN ANY OTHER COURT:</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">" <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">Family Court Act § 381.2 is </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">clear on its face</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> and provides that neither the fact that a person was before the Family Court in a juvenile delinquency proceeding for a hearing, nor any confession, admission, or statement made by such a person to the Family Court, or to any officer thereof in any stage of that proceeding, is admissible in any other court (</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">see</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> Family Ct Act § 381.2 [1]). </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">AND</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">"</span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">Where words of a statute are free from ambiguity and express plainly, clearly and distinctly the legislative intent, resort may not be had to other means of interpretation"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> (McKinney's Cons Laws of NY, Book 1, Statutes § 76). </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">The above-cited language of the Family Court Act is unambiguous and makes clear "that the Legislature has sought to protect young persons who have violated the criminal statutes of this State from acquiring the stigma that accompanies a criminal conviction"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">AND</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">As noted above, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">the sole statutory exception to the confidentiality provisions of Family Court Act § 381.2 permits consideration of records and information relating to a juvenile delinquency adjudication by a court in <b><span style="color: red;">imposing sentence upon an adult</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> (</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">see</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> Family Ct Act § 381.2 [2]). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">However, <b><span style="color: red;">a SORA proceeding is civil in nature</span></b> (</span><a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/REPORTER/3dseries/2009/2009_04700.htm" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;" target="_blank"><i>see People v Mingo</i>, 12 NY3d 563</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">, 572 [2009]), and <b><span style="color: red;">a risk level determination is not a sentence</span></b> (</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">see</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> CPL 1.20 [14]). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Thus, the statutory exception is inapplicable. </b></span>Consequently, we hold that </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">the Board</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">, which is merely an advisory panel, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">exceeded its authority by adopting that portion of the Guidelines which includes juvenile delinquency adjudications in its definition of crimes for the purpose of determining a sex offender's criminal history</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">".</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">So - THE ONLY time when a criminal court <b><span style="color: red;">may consider juvenile delinquency adjudications</span></b> is <b><span style="color: red;">when an adult criminal defendant HAS BEEN ALREADY CONVICTED OF A CRIME</span></b> and the COURT IS CONSIDERING HOW TO SENTENCE/PUNISH HIM AS A RESULT OF THAT CONVICTION, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;">and even then,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"> when such a sentencing concerns a sex offender, the risk level of the offender may not be determined with the help of such a juvenile adjudication.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The law makes it clear that juvenile adjudications may not, under any circumstances, be used in a CRIMINAL TRIAL against the defendant.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Any attempt by the prosecution to even hint to the public in a public record that the criminal defendant HAD juvenile adjudications before trial and for use in trial</span></b> is <b>prosecutorial misconduct meant to irreversibly contaminate the jury pool</b> <b>and obtain a wrongful conviction</b> based on sealed inadmissible records.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; text-indent: 38.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">If any such attempt is made in a criminal proceeding, a motion to disqualify prosecution for misconduct should be immediately made, as well as a motion to recuse a judge if the judge allows introduction of such records.</span></span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-37064091928488737022021-12-13T10:12:00.006-08:002021-12-13T10:12:59.352-08:00On the necessity of motions in limine (to exclude) re testimony of experts on the ultimate issue of criminal proceedings - whether the defendant killed the alleged victim<p><span style="font-size: large;">The US Supreme Court has stated a long time ago that for the law to be constitutional, <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/408/104.html">it must be</a></span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/408/104.html"><span style="font-size: large;">statutory (done by legislature and not by judges or executive/administrative agencies);</span></a></li><li><a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/408/104.html"><span style="font-size: large;">be clear to an ordinary person (not university educated, no law degree); and</span></a></li><li><a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/408/104.html"><span style="font-size: large;">contain a clear guide for application of the law for the police, prosecutors and judges.</span></a></li></ol><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What happens in court is usually the opposite. Lawyers and judges bamboozle the public with terms and "rules" that even judges and lawyers squabble over as to WTH they mean.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, when I say "motion in limine", that is lawyerspeak for a good old request to the court not to allow introduction of certain proof at trial.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now, I receive a lot of mail from readers of this blog who report that various prosecution-hired experts in CPS ("civil") and in criminal proceedings routinely testify in court on the so-called "ultimate issue" - was the defendant responsible for the injuries of the alleged victim or not.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes forensic proof (DNA evidence etc.) points clearly at the defendant, and then such testimony by the expert is warranted.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Oftentimes, though, a forensic expert LACKS proof (a person has been raped, but there is no DNA evidence pointing at the defendant as the perpetrator, or the alleged victim obviously died from a certain weapon - knife, gunshot wound etc.), and the expert fills in the gaps by testifying that IN HIS SCIENTIFIC OPINION it was the defendant who raped-stabbed-shot the alleged victim.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is apparent that expert opinions are allowed in court only when an expert knows more than an ordinary person and can explain to the jury facts that the jury may not understand without an explanation from a person with specialized knowledge in a particular field.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, once the expert testified that in his opinion the victim did have sex on the day of the supposed crime, or that the alleged victim did die from a stab wound or from a gunshot wound, if the expert does not have ADDITIONAL evidence pointing at the defendant as perpetrator of the crime, the expert no longer has specialized knowledge to inform the jury WHO DID IT - and his "opinion" on the matter should not be allowed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In federal cases, while an opinion on the ultimate issue is not in itself objectionable, <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_704">an opinion about the mental state of the defendant as to the ultimate issue (whether the defendant possessed the necessary criminal intent in committing the crime charged) is not allowed.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In New York State, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13540926893446173279&q=opinion+on+ultimate+issue&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33">the Court of Appeals (the top state court) has ruled that:</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In a sense, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">opinion testimony of an expert witness necessarily enters upon the jury's province, since the expert — and not the jury — draws conclusions from the facts, which the jury is then asked to adopt</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">. </span><b><span style="color: red;">Such testimony, however, is admissible <u>where the conclusions to be drawn from the facts "depend upon professional or scientific knowledge or skill not within the range of ordinary training or intelligence.</u></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">" (</span></span><a class="gsl_co_link" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?about=9145817579971281762&q=opinion+on+ultimate+issue&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(26, 13, 171); color: #1a0dab; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>Dougherty v Milliken</i>, 163 N.Y. 527, 533</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; </span><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10208264130178431342&q=opinion+on+ultimate+issue&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33" style="background-color: white; color: #1a0dab; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>De Long v County of Erie</i>, 60 N.Y.2d 296</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.)"</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, expert opinion on any issue of fact, and especially on the ultimate issue of defendant's guilt or innocence IS NOT ADMISSIBLE in court - and thus may and should be eliminated by a defense's motion before the trial - when an expert has made a prior claim (in any kind of a pretrial hearing) not based on evidence, but based on personal opinion of the expert that has nothing to do with any specialized skill or knowledge, that the defendant is guilty of committing the crime charged.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Defense attorneys often neglect making motions to specifically exclude testimony of prosecution's expert on the ultimate issue of criminal proceedings - whether the defendant committed the crime charged if the expert has no evidence of it other than the manner of death of the victim.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It must become a good defense practice to make such motions in limine/to exclude improper expert opinions.</span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-30062616991698922922021-12-13T09:43:00.002-08:002021-12-13T09:43:51.455-08:00The tricks of New York prosecutors to financially drain the family of criminal defendants on unnecessary pre-trial appearances and reviews to leave them without funds for lawyer to do the trial and get an easy plea<p><span style="font-size: large;">I have been working for a criminal defense attorney as a paralegal for a number of years, and then myself was a criminal defense attorney in New York for several years, so I know as a practical matter the tricks of prosecutors and judges who are in bed with prosecutors aimed at coercing plea bargain by draining family resources on private criminal defense attorney before trial.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-size: large;">Trick # 2. Pre-trial "conferences"</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">There is no such beast at all in the Criminal Procedure Law governing criminal proceedings in the State of New York.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, in all criminal cases the attorney I worked for and then in my own cases at felony level judges (who usually are former prosecutor from the same office as the current prosecutor of the case) mandate a "pre-trial conference" - even though you tell the judge and the prosecutor loud and clear that your client wants a trial and does not want any plea discussions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I have <a href="https://attorneyindependence.blogspot.com/2015/06/conferences-of-judge-john-f-lambert.html">described previously how pre-trial conferences are conducted and for what purpose</a>, in civil and in criminal cases.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Appearance to each of such conference is mandatory, so the attorney (before the pandemic, at least), had to come to court, so it is travel to and from court, waiting time in court and time at the useless conference - all necessarily billed to the client. The attorney has no power to cancel the conference other than arguing against it in writing to the judge - most likely, to no avail, the judge will just ignore it and order the conference anyway.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Several such conferences - and the family budget is several thousand dollars lighter for the criminal defense attorney, so by the time of the trial the family may end up with no funds paying the attorney for the labor-intensive trial (several days of morning-to-night work in court plus preparation prior to trial).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The judge knows what he is doing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The prosecutor knows what the judge is doing when the prosecutor asks the judge (his former colleague) for such a conference.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is a tool to drain the family's resources for private counsel.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When the money is so drained, and the defendant faces the option of either reverting back to the mostly useless public defender or going to trial without an attorney, the defendant is more likely to enter a guilty plea, even if he/she is not guilty.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Trick #2</span> (used on my client by the current Chief Judge of the State of New York Janet DiFiore when she was a Westchester County DA) - <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">"the prosecution is not yet ready"</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">There is such a thing as "professional courtesy" - which is often pushed upon defense attorneys to waive on their client's behalf their client's statutory or constitutional rights (to a felony hearing, to speedy trial etc.). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Such "professional courtesy" rules do not, apparently, apply to prosecution who habitually hides evidence that is mandated for disclosure to the defense (exculpatory or mitigating guilt of the defendant).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I had an A felony case of a client, prosecuted by then-DA Janet DiFiore of Westchester County where DiFiore had me every single week dragging my feet from Delhi, NY to Westchester County by 9 00 AM (a 4-hour drive) for a certain hearing on the evidence I requested, so I would arrive there (an 8 hour turnaround trip billed to the client at an hourly rate), sit there for 3 hours (I had to come by 9 am, but the judge deliberately would call my case, without fail, only by noon, so 3 hours more of useless waiting in court billed to my client each time) - and each time when the case was called the prosecution would tell the judge that "they are not yet ready to produce the evidence" and the judge would say - ok, adjourned until next week, no reprimand to the prosecution that they could not tell the judge and the defense counsel, out of professional courtesy, that they are not ready, so that the defense counsel could decided what to do at this time - save the client's money for a yet another appearance.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Ended up with me making a motion to recuse the Harrison Town Court judge (year 2014) for being so deeply in DiFiore's pocket that he was not able to adjourn WIHOUT DRAGGING ME THERE, since the prosecutor knew ahead of time that "they are not yet ready", but never notified me of that, necessitating the trip.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The judge, in open court, threatened to put me in jail for contempt of court for making that motion to recuse.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nevertheless, DiFiore's office finally acknowledged that they have NO EVIDENCE to have charged my client with an A felony (the judge often yelled at me in open court trying to impress upon me, a woman with a foreign accent which for many means that I must be stupid and not understand the English language, much less the New York state law - "DO YOU UNDERSTNAD, MRS NERONI, WHAT AN A FELONY IS?)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I understood it pretty well - that is why I demanded a felony hearing and had my client released without bail when the prosecution refused to conduct it, that is why the prosecution eventually reduced the charges to a misdemeanor - and I have made demands to produce supporting evidence which the prosecution did not have, and that's why the case was finally knocked down further to a violation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The prosecution also understood that I understood pretty well what a felony charge is - that is why my client was pressured in jail (with hints that otherwise he will be raped) into waiving a grand jury indictment and proceed by "Superior Court Information" (his assigned counsel participated in the pressure), and the jail blocked the client's father from delivering to the client the form for consent to change counsel I have drafted, to prevent me from stepping into the case faster.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is the reality of criminal proceedings in New York.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-size: large;">Trick # 3 - prosecution provides to defense light years of pages of unnecessary discovery for review </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A defense attorney must, in due diligence, review all discovery materials provided by the prosecution to prepare effective defense of his client.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Well, the prosecution often uses it by (while withholding exculpatory evidence) showering the defense with tons of useless documents, thousands upon thousands of pages, review of which takes time and effort of the defense attorney - and is necessarily billed to the defendant's family.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The result often is the same - the family is drained of funds before trial, and then the private counsel either says - oops, I need more funds for trial or can't proceed, or "advises" that it is "better" for the defendant to agree to a guilty plea - and the private counsel then keeps the money without doing the work at trial.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">These tricks exist, are well-known by defense attorneys, but rarely would a defense attorney ask to recuse a judge or disqualify a prosecutor for engaging in such misconduct.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Just know that such tricks exist. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Knowledge is power.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing that a motion to recuse the judge and disqualify the prosecutor for misconduct would not cure.</span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-45640569263227813202021-12-13T09:09:00.001-08:002021-12-13T09:09:25.888-08:00On the underused way to get money for experts from the state for indigent criminal defendants in New York <p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I hear it from my readers, again and again, how retained private attorneys screw them out of the money for experts and investigators which defendants could have obtained FOR FREE as indigents/poor persons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It is invariably done out of greed combined with laziness - often when a private attorney charges a huge "lump sum" for "everything" including the criminal trial, pressures the indigent defendant's family to pay for hiring the supposedly necessary forensic experts - and then does not hire the experts and pressures the defendant into a plea bargain, keeping the money for the experts and for the trial.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Yet, the law very clearly says in New York that <a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/Reporter/3dseries/2003/2003_18272.htm">a criminal defendant does not stop being an indigent just because a 3rd party (the adult defendant's extended family) hires a private counsel for him</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And, there is a statute, <a href="https://law.onecle.com/new-york/county/CNT0722-C_722-C.html">County Law 722-c</a> allowing an indigent criminal defendant to hire experts and investigators for the trial at taxpayer's expense;<br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">722-c. Services other than counsel. Upon a finding in an </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; color: #333333;">ex parte</span></span></p><pre style="border-radius: 4px; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 1.42857; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: auto; padding: 9.5px; word-break: break-all;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"> proceeding that </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">investigative, expert or other services</span><span style="background-color: white;"> are necessary
and that </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">the defendant or other person</span><span style="background-color: white;"> described in section two hundred
forty-nine or section two hundred sixty-two of the family court act,
article six-C of the correction law or section four hundred seven of the
surrogate's court procedure act, </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">is financially unable to obtain them,
the court shall authorize counsel, whether or not assigned in accordance
with a plan, to obtain the services on behalf of the defendant or such
other person</span><span style="background-color: white;">. The court upon a finding that timely procurement of
necessary services could not await prior authorization may authorize the
services nunc pro tunc. </span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">The court shall determine reasonable
compensation for the services and direct payment to the person who
rendered them or to the person entitled to reimbursement.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Only in
extraordinary circumstances may the court provide for compensation in
excess of one thousand dollars per investigative, expert or other
service provider.
</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Each claim for compensation shall be supported by a sworn statement
specifying the time expended, services rendered, expenses incurred and
reimbursement or compensation applied for or received in the same case
from any other source.</span></p></pre><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Moreover, a motion for expert fees under County Law 722-c is allowed to be made, argued and granted on an EX PARTE (without notice to prosecutors) basis. When such a motion is made, the judge has absolutely no right to disclose to the prosecution that an expert is being sought at taxpayers' expense by the defense, and if he does, it is judicial misconduct entitling the defendant to make a motion to remove the judge from the case (recuse).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Even though the law restricts the amount to $1000 in the absence of "extraordinary circumstances", the statute does not restrict the defense counsel from claiming that the prosecution's use of an expert whose fee far exceeds $1000 does constitute extraordinary circumstances entitling the criminal defendant to an expert of the same quality (and with the same level of fees), as a matter of equal protection of laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Of course, such a motion may irritate the judge and the prosecution and certainly will not allow the defense attorney to sock away fees paid by the anxious family for experts, but retained for attorney's private use.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">But - such a tool does exist in New York state law.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-58995440821962148602021-12-12T16:36:00.006-08:002021-12-12T16:43:00.122-08:00On "letter applications" by prosecutors in criminal cases instead of motions on notice according to the CPLR (New York)<p><span style="font-size: large;"> I have noticed from many submissions of different readers from across the State of New York that often prosecutors "enjoy" a cozy relationship with the court, to the point of not even taking an effort to comply with proper procedure in asking the court for major relief - such as in motions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A prosecutor simply files a "letter request" to the court - without the required formalities of a notice of motion, supporting affirmation under oath, supporting evidence and memorandum of law, supporting affidavit of service upon parties.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Well, I can bet all that is dear to me on the fact that if a pro se (not represented by an attorney) party files a "letter request" with the court, despite the rule requiring courts to give a "liberal review" to filings of pro se parties, such a "letter request" will be rejected by the court as not a proper motion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, from a criminal prosecution "letter requests" without following formalities of motions appear to be hunky-dory for some judges.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If a defense attorney does not object against "letter applications" - you know what the defense attorney is doing to his client? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Depriving him of his right to appeal "as of right" any ruling of the court on such a "letter application" immediately - <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17084191814036910877&q=notice+of+motion&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33">specifically because the "letter application" was not a formal motion made "on notice":</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span> "</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Another consideration for careful </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">practitioners is the availability of appellate </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">review. A request for relief made in the absence </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">of a notice of cross motion is not a "motion ... </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">made upon notice" (CPLR 5701 [a] [2]), </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">so an order granting or denying the request </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">is not appealable as of right, and permission </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> to appeal is necessary (</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">see</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> CPLR 5701 [c]; </span><br /><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=6403796281955325486&q=notice+of+motion&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33" style="background-color: white; color: #1a0dab; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> Blam v Netcher,</i> 17 AD3d 495, 496 [2005]</a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">). </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">By contrast, generally, a party may appeal as </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">of right to challenge the disposition of a motion </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> or cross motion made on notice (</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">see</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">CPLR 5701 [a]).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">While the client is allowed to appeal immediately and as of right any ruling of the court on a motion made on notice.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">So, if your attorney wants to exercise "professional courtesy" to a prosecutor by allowing him/her to make "letter applications" for major breaks at trial (prosecutors do not file motions other than for major breaks at trial), that courtesy (for your money) is, in fact, screwing you as the client - royally - because you will not be even able to appeal the ruling on that "letter application", no matter how badly it affected you.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And this, ladies and gentlemen, I believe, is a major illustration of ineffective representation of counsel.</span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7656840100957938850.post-63683876792286865502021-12-12T16:04:00.006-08:002021-12-12T16:41:13.237-08:00On "extraordinary" writs of prohibition in criminal cases<p><span style="font-size: large;">Recently I got news that one of my former clients did an extraorinary thing - won a very rare "extraordinary" "writ of prohibition" against a New York State Family Court judge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A VERY rare thing - and a very procedurally complex thing - done ENTIRELY pro se. VERY PROUD of that person.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Proves that a person unrepresented by an attorney can effectively defend his/her own rights in court - even in very complex cases, and especially in complex cases which attorneys are afraid to touch.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That said, there is a special place in hell for ATTORNEYS who, knowing that a judge is proceeding - especially in a criminal case - without jurisdiction - and when an attorney has been handsomely paid for effective representation of their client, to not even TRY to bring this "extraordinary" writ of prohibition in the Appellate Court to try to STOP the criminal trial since it proceeds without jurisdiction.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">For example, recently a reader has sent me some materials (motion papers) in a certain New York criminal case where the defense attorney quite coherently pleads in motion papers that the court had no jurisdiction in that criminal case because of a jurisdictionally deficient indictment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And yet, when a certain cowardly judge denied that motion, instead of trying to proceed to the Appellate Division with a writ of prohibition before the pending trial, that attorney is trying to pressure the client to accept a plea bargain (with a lot of years in prison) on that same jurisdictionally defective indictment. Figure.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I guess, the attorney wants to keep the handsome amount paid without the tedious necessity to prepare and try the case - and to hell with what happens to the client.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And, I also guess, sometimes it is better to represent yourself than to have such attorneys.</span></p>Tatiana Neronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02164591853661429324noreply@blogger.com0