FamilyLawCourts.com - No one over eleven believes it's working.
Do Not Hire - With 12,000 records in all fifty states - we can't list them all. Just a few "notables." Please also see the Ron Lais page. (Feel free to send us your selections from any state. We only profiled California because it was easy. But we can make a new page or any state.)
Attorneys
Recent: UT finally published facts on Carlsbad, about-to-be disbarred attorney, Patricia Gregory. More on Gregory, who continues in her attempts to lure potential clients, below, but her first hearing is November 18, in Vista. It's worth noting there are other ways to end the attorney client relationship...and what an attorney presently can and can't do.
Southern California
Yowza! If the guys at Ivie, McNeill & Wyatt practice family law like they do Personal injury, Run!
That said, at the very tip top of our "Do Not Hire" list highlights Nabil Samaan
who remarked after his brother killed his own daughter,
"I think he did the right thing. I’m proud of my brother and now he’s in a better place. He’s at peace. His daughter’s at peace. She’ll have one name now, and we can move on. And hopefully the court will learn a little thing about justice."
We can't imagine how uncomfortable that must make Nabil's kids feel. We also feel like his brand of women and children as disposable is also a reflection of the courts.
We would avoid any of the attorneys associated with Brutal Divorce Tactics; half of whom have had run-ins with the State Bar. We recommend opposing counsel play their marketing video for the court.
San Diego
Richard Candor: Candor received his bar card after pleading "No Contest" to molesting all five of his daughters; thus providing a stellar example how well the State Bar conducts background checks. But wait - it gets better. Candor asked the 4th District Court of Appeal to depublish the decision which outed his conduct. And they did. Welcome to San Diego. Just another day in paradise.
Terence Chucas: Referencing the California State Auditors report judges appoint unqualified attorneys and psychologists to represent children, Chucas fits that mold perfectly. At last count Chucas had damaged over thirteen families by his incompetence. So our official position is "Chuck Chucas."
Theresa Erickson: Don't worry about hiring Erickson, who seems likely on her way to prison for her black-market baby selling scam. Erickson hired a major PR firm getting her name out, but apparently, a complete lack of scruples wasn't in the coverage. Erickson also owned Conceptual Adoptons, and employed three psychologists, or psychological assistants, to help. They are: Katherine Ellis-Hernandez, Saira Jhutty, and Imanie Wijayaratne. Presumably, they did not help patients cope with the answer to the question, "Are we getting ripped off?"
Jeffrey Fritz: Next to Ron Lais, Feffrey Fritz is hands-down King of "Dissatisfied Clients." As many complaints as we received about Lais - more complained about Jeffrey Fritz. Perhaps because Fritz has a habit of suing former clients. Basie and Fritz, has a lame website, and clients routinely complain about billing practices issues. Chief among them being hard-core bill collection efforts and abandonment seconds after cash flow becomes a problem. Fritz also goes after his client's homes. Personnel also seems to be an issue. Our feeling is anyone who hires the guy, probably deserves him.
Patricia Gregory: Patricia Gregory's website, (which she refused for months to remove) claims she teaches graduate courses in Business Law and Ethics. However on March 16, 2011, the State Bar's recommendation as found in this Opinion, was disbarment. More interesting was DA Bonnie Dumanis' refusal as of May, to prosecute;including by Jeff Dort, who has prosecuted personal Injury attorneys for exactly the same reason. We recommend beginning with California Penal Code 506. We have learned DA Sherry Thomas might file. Update: Seeing's believing, but still there's something is fishy. The word at the court house is the DA will accept a plea with probation. Victims went to court in part because Gregory's website remained up as she trolled for fresh clients. Details here. Don't miss the video exclusive at the bottom of the page.
We would be astonished if the any plea arrangement included prison time. Astonished.
Ron Lais: Ron, "Yea, I'm finally out of prison" Lais. More information on Lais can be found at LaisLaw.org; however now Ron Lais is now passing himself off as a "retired attorney - and international law professor. (School not named.) Seriously. He's also on Twitter to better take full con advantage of faster con opportunities.
David Kay: Well, he doesn't have to register as a sex offender....but....
Peter J. Muller: Has had dealings with Ron Lais, but separate from that a quick check of courthouse records reveals he's got problems. Lots of problems. Is married to a Family Court judge.
Steven Liss: The often arrested but never prosecuted Steven Liss is living the life of a grifter. Except he doesn't have to move because of a lack of prosecution. Liss was first arrested on a charge to kill his wife, and then the case was dropped. Now Liss is working in the real estate field and collecting rent deposits on buildings and apartments he doesn't own. Will there be a time DA Bonnie Dumanis will choose to prosecute? Doesn't seem so. At least he was disbarred. Update: Maybe this time.
Daniel Shinoff: Shinoff is not a family law attorney. However, we listed Shinoff and his firm as he litigates against children on behalf of schools, for the firm Stuz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz. Shinoff's questionable tactics serve to harm children while saving schools money. Money which the laws often says must be spent on children. Special needs children. As Shinoff is just plain dangerous....it was nice to see him beaten by pro-per Mom.
Jan Stocks: "A real piece of work." Stocks vouches for the fake therapist, Susan Griffin. May still sit on her board. Jan Stocks doesn't stop at incompetent. Like Daniel Shinoff, Jan Stocks is also, just plain dangerous around children.
Stephen Ure: As unprofessional as we've seen in family court. Redefines "drama."
Screeches.
Alex Verduci: Reminds us of the late, not-so-great Basie, of Basie and Fritz.
New York
Utica
Actually, we recommend not hiring anyone practicing family law in Oneida County as doing so could get you killed after your first court appearance.
Michael Borg: After his law school classmate Sam Friedlander murdered his kids and wife, Borg gave an interview blaming the murder victim. Nice going Borg. We wonder if your legal reasoning is just as suspect.
Recent: UT finally published facts on Carlsbad, about-to-be disbarred attorney, Patricia Gregory. More on Gregory, who continues in her attempts to lure potential clients, below, but her first hearing is November 18, in Vista. It's worth noting there are other ways to end the attorney client relationship...and what an attorney presently can and can't do.
Southern California
Yowza! If the guys at Ivie, McNeill & Wyatt practice family law like they do Personal injury, Run!
That said, at the very tip top of our "Do Not Hire" list highlights Nabil Samaan
who remarked after his brother killed his own daughter,
"I think he did the right thing. I’m proud of my brother and now he’s in a better place. He’s at peace. His daughter’s at peace. She’ll have one name now, and we can move on. And hopefully the court will learn a little thing about justice."
We can't imagine how uncomfortable that must make Nabil's kids feel. We also feel like his brand of women and children as disposable is also a reflection of the courts.
We would avoid any of the attorneys associated with Brutal Divorce Tactics; half of whom have had run-ins with the State Bar. We recommend opposing counsel play their marketing video for the court.
San Diego
Richard Candor: Candor received his bar card after pleading "No Contest" to molesting all five of his daughters; thus providing a stellar example how well the State Bar conducts background checks. But wait - it gets better. Candor asked the 4th District Court of Appeal to depublish the decision which outed his conduct. And they did. Welcome to San Diego. Just another day in paradise.
Terence Chucas: Referencing the California State Auditors report judges appoint unqualified attorneys and psychologists to represent children, Chucas fits that mold perfectly. At last count Chucas had damaged over thirteen families by his incompetence. So our official position is "Chuck Chucas."
Theresa Erickson: Don't worry about hiring Erickson, who seems likely on her way to prison for her black-market baby selling scam. Erickson hired a major PR firm getting her name out, but apparently, a complete lack of scruples wasn't in the coverage. Erickson also owned Conceptual Adoptons, and employed three psychologists, or psychological assistants, to help. They are: Katherine Ellis-Hernandez, Saira Jhutty, and Imanie Wijayaratne. Presumably, they did not help patients cope with the answer to the question, "Are we getting ripped off?"
Jeffrey Fritz: Next to Ron Lais, Feffrey Fritz is hands-down King of "Dissatisfied Clients." As many complaints as we received about Lais - more complained about Jeffrey Fritz. Perhaps because Fritz has a habit of suing former clients. Basie and Fritz, has a lame website, and clients routinely complain about billing practices issues. Chief among them being hard-core bill collection efforts and abandonment seconds after cash flow becomes a problem. Fritz also goes after his client's homes. Personnel also seems to be an issue. Our feeling is anyone who hires the guy, probably deserves him.
Patricia Gregory: Patricia Gregory's website, (which she refused for months to remove) claims she teaches graduate courses in Business Law and Ethics. However on March 16, 2011, the State Bar's recommendation as found in this Opinion, was disbarment. More interesting was DA Bonnie Dumanis' refusal as of May, to prosecute;including by Jeff Dort, who has prosecuted personal Injury attorneys for exactly the same reason. We recommend beginning with California Penal Code 506. We have learned DA Sherry Thomas might file. Update: Seeing's believing, but still there's something is fishy. The word at the court house is the DA will accept a plea with probation. Victims went to court in part because Gregory's website remained up as she trolled for fresh clients. Details here. Don't miss the video exclusive at the bottom of the page.
We would be astonished if the any plea arrangement included prison time. Astonished.
Ron Lais: Ron, "Yea, I'm finally out of prison" Lais. More information on Lais can be found at LaisLaw.org; however now Ron Lais is now passing himself off as a "retired attorney - and international law professor. (School not named.) Seriously. He's also on Twitter to better take full con advantage of faster con opportunities.
David Kay: Well, he doesn't have to register as a sex offender....but....
Peter J. Muller: Has had dealings with Ron Lais, but separate from that a quick check of courthouse records reveals he's got problems. Lots of problems. Is married to a Family Court judge.
Steven Liss: The often arrested but never prosecuted Steven Liss is living the life of a grifter. Except he doesn't have to move because of a lack of prosecution. Liss was first arrested on a charge to kill his wife, and then the case was dropped. Now Liss is working in the real estate field and collecting rent deposits on buildings and apartments he doesn't own. Will there be a time DA Bonnie Dumanis will choose to prosecute? Doesn't seem so. At least he was disbarred. Update: Maybe this time.
Daniel Shinoff: Shinoff is not a family law attorney. However, we listed Shinoff and his firm as he litigates against children on behalf of schools, for the firm Stuz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz. Shinoff's questionable tactics serve to harm children while saving schools money. Money which the laws often says must be spent on children. Special needs children. As Shinoff is just plain dangerous....it was nice to see him beaten by pro-per Mom.
Jan Stocks: "A real piece of work." Stocks vouches for the fake therapist, Susan Griffin. May still sit on her board. Jan Stocks doesn't stop at incompetent. Like Daniel Shinoff, Jan Stocks is also, just plain dangerous around children.
Stephen Ure: As unprofessional as we've seen in family court. Redefines "drama."
Screeches.
Alex Verduci: Reminds us of the late, not-so-great Basie, of Basie and Fritz.
New York
Utica
Actually, we recommend not hiring anyone practicing family law in Oneida County as doing so could get you killed after your first court appearance.
Michael Borg: After his law school classmate Sam Friedlander murdered his kids and wife, Borg gave an interview blaming the murder victim. Nice going Borg. We wonder if your legal reasoning is just as suspect.
Therapists
California - the conflict-of-interest we found with the below includes owning property where therapists for opposing counsel rent office space; which was not disclosed to the court or opposing counsel by either side.
Breffini Barrett
Stephen Doyne
Christine Hodson
Janet Husaker
Margaret Lee
Edward Oklan
New York
Dr. James Bonczek appeals his conviction for in possession of child porn.
Saratoga - it's a twofer! (No degrees, just contracts (until arrested.)
Maria Geizer
Steven Feldman
This is just a few in California - for 2011 we've archived many and are looking for additions from other states.
California - the conflict-of-interest we found with the below includes owning property where therapists for opposing counsel rent office space; which was not disclosed to the court or opposing counsel by either side.
Breffini Barrett
Stephen Doyne
Christine Hodson
Janet Husaker
Margaret Lee
Edward Oklan
New York
Dr. James Bonczek appeals his conviction for in possession of child porn.
Saratoga - it's a twofer! (No degrees, just contracts (until arrested.)
Maria Geizer
Steven Feldman
This is just a few in California - for 2011 we've archived many and are looking for additions from other states.
Judges - (Private judging)
A quick word about private judging. They are used for privacy and their glossy resumes shine with awards - a reflection of cronyism more than capability - These hype sites do not reflect the number of rulings overturned while on the bench or rebukes by any state agency charged with oversight.
California
Thomas Ashworth - Save your money.
Craig Kamansky - Kamansky's glowing resume won't mention he was sued by one of the boys he took out of Juvenile Court to "console" - or that he erased a video tape he made of the boy, who later committed suicide. He'd agreed to turn the tape over to the Commission On Judicial Performance. Our thought is the public should know.
William Howatt - Howatt's resume is also glossy. Interestingly, Howatt is listed as a "neutral" although the history of his rulings, (and record of court of appeal over-turning them) suggest the man is a misogynist. Your money is better spent elsewhere.
A quick word about private judging. They are used for privacy and their glossy resumes shine with awards - a reflection of cronyism more than capability - These hype sites do not reflect the number of rulings overturned while on the bench or rebukes by any state agency charged with oversight.
California
Thomas Ashworth - Save your money.
Craig Kamansky - Kamansky's glowing resume won't mention he was sued by one of the boys he took out of Juvenile Court to "console" - or that he erased a video tape he made of the boy, who later committed suicide. He'd agreed to turn the tape over to the Commission On Judicial Performance. Our thought is the public should know.
William Howatt - Howatt's resume is also glossy. Interestingly, Howatt is listed as a "neutral" although the history of his rulings, (and record of court of appeal over-turning them) suggest the man is a misogynist. Your money is better spent elsewhere.