Florida

Ex Rothstein Lawyer Pleads Guilty, Allegedly Wrote Letter re Name Partner’s $1.2B ‘Investment’ Scam

A former law partner of convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein pleaded guilty today to wire fraud conspiracy in federal court in West Palm Beach. Prosecutors said Howard Kusnick, 59, wrote a letter claiming to have settled a client’s case favorably when in fact there not only was no such settlement…

Jun 14, 2011 10:44 PM CDT

Facing Ethics Case re $50M ‘Taj Mahal’ Court Building Project, Judge Points Finger at 14 Colleagues

Corrected: An appeals court judge in Tallahassee, Fla., who is facing a legal ethics case over his role in a controversial $50 million courthouse construction project, among other claimed misconduct, says he’s not the only one who approved it. The other judges in the 1st District Court of Appeal also…

Jun 9, 2011 10:51 PM CDT

Did Casey Anthony’s Car Smell Like Death? Judge Allows Novel Odor Evidence

The Florida judge overseeing Casey Anthony’s murder trial is allowing novel smell evidence that has never been introduced in a criminal case. Orlando prosecutors are seeking to prove that the bad smell in the trunk of Casey Anthony’s car came from a decomposing body rather than a bag of garbage,…

Jun 8, 2011 1:14 PM CDT

Fla. Couple Ready to Seize Bank of America Furniture After Winning Foreclosure Fight

A Florida couple fighting a mistaken foreclosure called 25 law firms before they found a lawyer willing to take their case. Finally Warren and Maureen Nyerges hired Todd Allen, who won their foreclosure fight and obtained a court order for payment of $2,500 in attorney fees, report the Associated Press…

Jun 7, 2011 11:48 AM CDT

Casey Anthony’s Lawyer Suffers Some ‘Courtroom Mishaps’

Casey Anthony’s lawyer Jose Baez is taking some hits from legal analysts analyzing the legal play-by-play of the murder trial unfolding in a Florida courtroom. Baez exudes confidence, but he has suffered some “courtroom mishaps,” the Orlando Sentinel reports. In one instance, Judge Belvin Perry had to remind Baez that…

Jun 6, 2011 2:02 PM CDT

Rapping Lawyer’s Reality TV Misstep Replayed on YouTube

A rapping lawyer who was booed off the stage of America’s Got Talent remains a celebrity on YouTube. Tallahassee personal injury lawyer Jimmy Fasig accidentally stepped off the stage on Tuesday, landing in front of the judges below, the Tallahassee Democrat (sub. req.) reports. He is one of two performers…

Jun 2, 2011 10:51 AM CDT

Fla. Judge Agrees to Reprimand for Allegedly Yelling At and Insulting Lawyers, Especially Women

A Florida judge has apparently turned over a new leaf since a legal ethics complaint made clear to him that lawyers found his alleged yelling and insulting behavior objectionable. Women reportedly were a particular target. But Orange-Osceola Circuit Judge Tim Shea will nonetheless be publicly reprimanded by the state supreme…

Jun 1, 2011 8:01 PM CDT

Former Law Partner of Scott Rothstein, 3 Others Face Wire Fraud Conspiracy Charges

A former partner in convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein’s law firm has been charged in an alleged wire fraud conspiracy, along with three other individuals. Ex-partner Howard Kusnick worked on a civil case in which client car dealer Ed Morse and his wife sued a kitchen designer. Rothstein, who operated…

May 27, 2011 3:01 PM CDT

Officials Sing ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ to James Taylor, at Drug Court for Backup Singer’s Graduation

James Taylor didn’t sing. But he attended a drug court graduation in Pinellas County, Fla., yesterday to support a longtime backup singer he’d helped get through rehab. And officials attending the event essentially sang to him, covering his signature tune “You’ve Got a Friend,” the St. Petersburg Times reports. “I’m…

May 26, 2011 9:56 PM CDT

Ruden McClosky Closes 3 Offices, Says in Email ‘Things are Clearly Moving in the Right Direction’

After lawyer defections, staff layoffs and partner pay holdbacks, Ruden McClosky is now closing three Florida offices. But the downsizing Fort Lauderdale-based firm, which has now shrunk to an attorney roster of 64 from around 200 a decade or so ago, said in an April 27 email that “things are…

May 25, 2011 8:00 PM CDT

Casey Anthony’s Dad the Villain as Defense Tells of ‘Ugly Secrets’ and Cover-Up

A defense lawyer for Casey Anthony alleged in opening statements on Tuesday that Caylee Anthony died in an accidental drowning, and Casey’s dad covered it up. Defense lawyer Jose Baez offered “a series of bombshells” in the Florida trial, telling jurors that Caylee’s death was a “sad, tragic accident” and…

May 25, 2011 11:42 AM CDT

Md. Lawyer, Owner of ‘Funhouse Entertainment,’ Is Arrested in Fla. Child Sex Sting

A Baltimore-area lawyer and magician has been accused of flying to Florida to have sex with an online acquaintance he thought was a 14-year-old boy. Howard Scott Kalin, 47, was charged with traveling to meet a minor for sexual activity, report the Baltimore Sun and the Orlando Sentinel. Kalin owns…

May 24, 2011 2:58 PM CDT

Lawyer Admits Providing ‘Legal Cover’ in Fraudulent Sale of AIDS Life Insurance Policies

A Florida lawyer has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the fraudulent sale of life insurance policies held in the names of AIDS patients. Michael McNerney of Fort Lauderdale admitted he provided “legal cover” to help top executives with Mutual Benefits Corp. lure investors to buy the policies purchased from AIDS…

May 20, 2011 10:29 AM CDT

Criticism of the Foreclosure Process Brought Bar Probe of Two Fla. Lawyers

Two Florida lawyers who criticized mass foreclosures found themselves under investigation by the state bar for their comments. The bar dropped one probe and was expected to drop the second after former ABA President Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte intervened on the lawyers’ behalf, the Daily Business Review reports. D’Alemberte is also…

May 19, 2011 12:53 PM CDT

Prosecutors Look to Social Media for Selecting Casey Anthony Jurors

Prosecutors trying Casey Anthony, a 25-year-old Florida woman charged with murdering her young daughter, were armed with Internet information during a special Saturday jury selection, checking out panel members’ social media profiles during voir dire. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors in the high-profile case used a peremptory challenge to…

May 16, 2011 3:54 PM CDT