Legal Ethics
Lawyer Accused of Calling Judge a ‘Narcissistic, Maniacal Mental Case’
Posted Aug 22, 2008, 08:12 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
An Illinois lawyer has been accused in an ethics complaint of belittling two judges, calling one a “narcissistic, maniacal mental case.”
Lawyer Melvin H. Hoffman of Ottawa is accused of making the statement during a February speakerphone hearing in which the judge questioned an affidavit filed by the lawyer, reports MyWebTimes.com. Hoffman is accused of telling the judge: "You are a narcissistic, maniacal mental case. You should not be on the bench. I am not appearing before you." After repeating the charges, Hoffman hung up the phone, according to a July 14 complaint filed by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
In the other case in 1998, Hoffman is accused of calling an administrative hearing a “kangaroo court” and telling the administrative judge, "Obviously, you need to go find a job in the private sector in the real world.”
In a third 2005 case, the disciplinary complaint says, Hoffman told a Chicago lawyer his law firm was unethical and said, "You must be from a Jewish firm."
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Posted by Lawrence S Katkowsky, Esq. - 2 months, 4 weeks, 7 hours, 56 minutes ago
I can certainly relate to the first two charges. I have been the recipient of the last charge.