Defending the rights of consumers and citizens who dare to take on the banks should not cause attorneys to be in conflict with the civil justice system, and attorneys who advocate for their clients in courtrooms certainly should not be treated to the kind of violence displayed in this video.
Pay careful attention to the brevity of the exchange between this attorney and the judge. The attorney is clearly talking back to the judge…but you see as attorneys,
That is precisely what we are required by the rules of professional conduct to be doing!
When a judge is wrong, when a judge is out of line, an attorney is required to take reasonable steps to preserve those issues and the conduct for appeal. In this case however, watch how quickly the judge screams contempt and then the gang of bailiffs swarm in to take him down.
There are so many things that are terrifying about this….but keep in mind that when these things happen to long-serving and distinguished members of the bar…do you think anyone has any real security from violence?
There is no question but that this should have been handled much differently. Anyone who’s spent any time in a courtroom has seen lawyers in heated and passionate arguments. But never should there be a time when a lawyer doing his job is subject to physical confrontation.
I’ve had it happen to me…and every good foreclosure defense lawyer I know has experienced intimidation, threats, harassment.
Let that sink in for a moment. One more time…
Every good foreclosure defense lawyer I know has experienced intimidation, threats, harassment.
An explosive confrontation between a judge and foreclosure lawyer led to a scuffle with bailiffs as attorney Stuart Golant was removed from the courtroom and charged with two felonies.
He was arrested Nov. 14 in Palm Beach Circuit Senior Judge Howard Harrison’s courtroom and jailed overnight. The incident came to light June 10 when Golant & Golant alleged in another case that the judge systematically discriminates against the law firm and its clients.
“It’s kind of a crazy mess,” said Golant’s wife and law partner, Margery. “This was an elderly man in a business suit arguing a case in court. There was no reason for anybody to touch him … and no reason for Judge Harrison to tell them to remove him.”
Golant, 70, was arrested after the judge found him in contempt and imposed a $500 fine.
GolantProbable Cause Affidavit
Opinion denying Writ – 6-10-15
The level of animosity between the judge and the petitioners’ lawyer based upon the facts in the motion, which are not merely based upon adverse rulings, is sufficient to create an objectively reasonable fear by petitioners that the judge is so biased against their attorney as to require his disqualification.
