Rouge of the week

In years past my business partner and I would post on our office wall the picture of an attorney or judge who had notably embarrassed the profession in their attitude, pleadings or decisions. We have decided to revive that tradition. This week, the rogue of the week is a tie. On the one hand, there is an administrative law judge. This judge ruled on a motion without giving the defendants an opportunity to be heard. The Attorney General’s Office filed a motion for sanctions based on alleged non-compliance with a discovery court order. However, the defendants had complied. All the Attorney General really wanted was an explanation of the judge’s prior decision. Rather than give the defendants an opportunity to be heard, the judge simply awarded the Attorney General’s office sanctions – sanctions that it was not even asking for. When the defendants asked for a reconsideration, the judge did not bother to respond.The other contestant is the assistant attorney general who filed the motion for sanctions. Despite having had conversations with defendants attorney regarding the motion in which he repeatedly stated he just wanted clarification, he declined to join defendants in asking the judge to reconsider her decision. Some may say this is an adversarial process and so what do we expect? However, government attorneys are charged with a greater responsibility – the search for the truth. This attorney was simply interested in gaining advantage instead of doing what was right and honest. We should expect more of our public officials.If you have a judge or attorney worthy of our wall of rogues, write to us at info@rosenberglawgroup.net.