Legal MalPractice April 15, 1992

From the Father's Board : (718) 494-1719
                          Please consult appropriate counsel.
                          The within file is for information only.
You should read each case carefully, and compare it with the facts
in your case. Specific pleadings may be obtained by finding the
file in the appropriate county clerks office, signing it out and
making copies of the pleadings ( a very expensive option @ 15cents
a shot ). You will porbbaly want a jury trial, which you should
demand ( in writing ) and pay the jury fee for. Remember you are
entitled to have a judge turn you down. If a clerk turns you down
there is nothing you can appeal from.
   There are different Statute of Limitations to different types of
actions - a shotgun approach may have some of your causes of action
dismissed and others permitted.
  Expect a Motion to Dismiss. A motion to dismiss is not a
responsive pleading ( and you can amend your pleadings to make it
more specific ) so do not be pulled in to the trap of trying to
present the case in the answer to the Motion to Dismiss.

The relationship of client-attorney is a constructive trust.

The basic INJURY is the cost of the prosecution or defense:
Wahl vs. Foreman 398 F. Supp 526

A client claim for breach of contract provides for equitable
relief.

Malpractice for Loss of Parental Rights:
Ignotov vs. Reiter 425 Mich. 391

There is liability to a 3rd party if:
                                   1) Fraud
                                   2) Malice
                                   3) Other Intentional Tort

Government Prosecutors cannot be sued for mis-handling a case:
Gerson vs. A.G. of New York 527 NYS2d 258
                            139 AD 2d 617
Use of RICO ( Racketeering, Influence and Corruption Act ) which
requires 2 ACTS : 18 USC 1961 to 1968 ( usually 1962 )

In legal malpractice " Damage is not the cause of Action " 
                      Wilcox vs. Plummer 29 US 181 ( 1830 )

Top Defenses to Legal MalPractice

1. Statute of Limitations
(1st Case being Wood vs. Carpenter 101 US 135 (1879) Supreme Ct )
     A) Stopping the SOL depends on:
          1) Date of discovery of facts concealed
          2) Date of Discovery of essential facts
          3) Date of firing lawyer
     B) Continuous Representation may Defeat SOL

2. Contributory Negligence
3. Mental Disability ( of attorney )
4. Release
   Releases which are developed BEFORE the DISCOVERIES of errors
5. Collateral Estoppel
6. Estoppel
7. Res Judicata


BELOW are some case citations ( cites ) with a New York flavor,
and, where possible, a Federal flavor.

REMEMBER : If you read the cases, you will also be able to find
which lawyers represented which side, and how they made out. You
can then call the Office of Court Administration and get their
telephone number.

As always, develop your facts, then decide which is most
applicable.

1. Statue of Limitations ( SOL )
  A) It's premature - meaning the SOL has not yet expired.
     Harris vs. Rosen 215 NYS 2d 992
  B) The underlying cases have not yet resolved
  C) There's an alternative remedy
  D) In pari delicto ( unclean hands of pleader doctrine )


Contributory Negligence Cases

Contributory Negligence is an AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE, meaning that the
defense must be pleaded as something that was relied on by the
defense, i.e.

The Client failed to 1) Supervise the Attorney
                     2) Review the Work
                     3) Inquire about what was being done or
                         necessary
                    4) Follow Advice
                    5) Provide Information
                    6) Avoid or Stop Losses
          or
The Client Interfered with the Representation.

see :

Cicorelli vs. Capobianco 453 NYS 2d 21
                         463 NYS 2d 195
                         89 AD 2d 842 *

Titsworth vs. Monlo      403 NYS 2d 793
                         95 Misc 2d 233 *

Delfyette vs. Fisher     336 NYS 2d 147
                         40 AD 2d 674 *

Lawyers are *generally* immune to a

    Civil Rights Action ( 42 USC 1983 ) Exceptions being:

Black vs. Bayer 672 F2d 309
Robinson vs Bergstrom 579 F2d 401
Ferri vs. Aderman 440 US 907 * 99 S Ct 1213 * ( US Supreme Court )
Towner vs. Glover 467 US 914 * 104 S Ct 2820 * ( US Sup Ct )
Spring vs. Constantino 168 Conn 563 ( Connecticut )


COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS are better attacked under 18 USC 242

---------------------------------------------------------

Privilege = Immunity for what is said in a Judicial Proceeding.

   Judicial Proceeding include State Bar Disciplinary Committee
proceedings.

For thinking that " Absolute Privilege " does not exist, see

               Gold vs. Intersoft 489 NYS2d 660
                                   128 Misc 2d 198 *

               Kenny vs. Cleary    363 NYS2d 606
                                   47 AD 2d 531 *

               Friedman vs. Alexander   433 NYS 2d 627

There is a body of thought that says that MALICE punctures
Qualified Immunity.

Malice = reckless disregard of ( a statements ) falsity or knowing
of a falsity.

Privilege has defeated actions for ABUSE OF PROCESS, PERJURY,
INVASION OF PRIVACY, FRAUD, Intentional Infliction of emotional
Distress.

---------------------------------

Res Judicata:

applied to OPPOSING counsel in matrimonial action in :

          Erden vs. Reulen 146 Colo 347/ 361 P2d 445

Res Judicata in other cases:
    Compusort Inc. vs. Goldberg 606 F.Supp 456


-------------------------------------

Collateral Estoppel cases :

Rastelli vs. Sutter, Moffat: 449 NYS 2d 305
                              87 AD 2d 865
                              57 NY 2d 773
                              454 NYS 2d 1034

Valolizza vs. Kreiger     352 NYS 2d 919
                          33 NY 2d 351 *

________________________________________________

Malpractice allowed to be cured by representation in:

               Hashemi vs. Scheck 609 F. Supp 391
________________________________________________

Lawyers loss of a legal claim ( or ability to make a legal claim )
not the same as a personal injury ( different statute of
limitations ):
               Alexander vs. Callanen   429 NYS2d 141
                                        104 Misc 2d 762 *

               see Jakobleff vs. Jakobleff   484 NYS 2d 892

---------------------------------------------------------

SOL CASES:
Cohen vs. Goodfriend 665 F Supp 152
Whitehouse vs. Quinn 477 NE 2d 270
Albany Savings Bank vs Caffery, Pontiff 463 NYS 2d 896
                                        95 AD 2d 918 *
Brainard vs. Brown  458 NYS 2d 75
                    91 AD 2d 287 *

Johnson vs. Gold    420 NYS2d 816
                    71 AD 2d 1056 *

Fraud SOL :
          Central Trust Co. vs. Goldman      417 NYS2d 259
                                             70 AD 2d 767

NY CPLR 214(8)      Tobias vs. Celler   37 NYS 2d 399
                                        39 NYS 2d 1020

Contract SOL :
Vollgraff vs. Block      458 NYS 2d 437
                         117 Misc 2d 489 *
Lazzaro vs. Kelly        450 NYS 2d 102
                         87 AD 2d 975
                         57 NY 2d 360 *
Boecher vs. Borth        377 NYS 2d 781
                         51 AD 2d 598 *
Video Corpof America vs  462 NYS 2d 439
Fred Flatto              58 NY 2d 1026 *

Antoniu vs. Ahearn       520 NYS2d 562
                         134 AD 2d 151 *
Signopoli vs Gocozza     481 NYS2d 177
                         105 AD 2d 743 *
Citibank vs. Struthers   418 NYS2d 679
                         68 AD 2d 790 *
Dura-Bilt vs Albanese    382 NYS 2d 455
                         86 Misc 2d 172 *


-----------------------------------------------------
COntinuous Representation cases:

Wilson vs. Economon      288 NYS2d 381
                         56 Misc 2d 272*
Seigel vs. Kranis        288 NYS 2d 831
                         29 AD 2d 477 *
Grazo vs. Robertson      370 NYS 2d 255
Greene vs. Greene        437 AD 2d 339
                         80 AD 2d 55 *
Gilbert vs. Millstein    352 NYS 2d 198
                         33 NY 2d 857 *
Stamfel vs. Eckhardt     531 NYS2d 814
Bingham vs. Zolt         633 F. Supp 965
Bocaro vs. Keegan        483 NYS2d 564
                         126 Misc 2d 570*
Kramer vs. Belfi         482 NYS 2d 898
Pitelli vs. Schulman     512 NYS 2d 860
                         128 AD 2d 600 *
_________________________________________________

Malpractice concerning collection of funds and monies
1) Failure to pursue a claim
2) Failure to remit monies
see:
Stafford vs. Richardson 15 Wend 302
Model Building vs Reeves 236 NY 331
______________________________________________________

Appearance of Impropriety of Lawyer
Armstrong vs. McAlpin    625 F2d 433
----------------------------------------------------
Against Court Appointed Counsel:

Garcia vs. Community LEgal Services 362 Pa. Super. 484
Madeline G. vs. David R.            407 NYS2d 414
                                    95 Misc 2d 273 *
( a conflict of interest case )
______________________________________________________

RICO Cases:

Carmel vs. Lurney        518 NYS2d 605
                         70 NY 2d 169 *
Zambito vs. Ryan         509 NYS 2d 391
                         125 AD 2d 462 *
Newman vs. SIlver        553 F SUpp 485
Olson vs. North          276 Ill App 457
Caludio vs. Heller       463 NYS 2d 155
                         119 Misc 2d 432 *
United States vs. Uzzi   549 F. Supp 979
Kirkland vs. Mannis      639 F2d 671

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Family Law Malpractice Cases:

Von Wallhoffen vs. Newcombe 10 Hun 236 ( NY, 1977 )
Micahlie by Nabovisics vs. Klat    512 NYS 2d 436
                                   128 AD 2d 505 *
Joffe vs. Rubenstein               263 NYS 2d 867
                                   24 AD 2d 752 *
Kahn vs. Cromies                   459 NYS 2d 941
                                   92 AD 2d 634 *
Callahan vs. Callahan              514 NYS 2d 819
                                   127 AD 2d 298 *
Soffer vs. Elmendorf               484 NYS2d 941
                                   108 AD 2d 854 *
Sokoloff vs. Sokoloff              371 NYS 2d 106
                                   82 Misc 2d 797 *
A conflict of Interest case in:
Walker vs. Walker                  707 P2d 110
Interest of Lackey                 71 Ill App 2d 705
               -------
Sirianni vs. Tomlinson             519 NYS 2d 385
                                   133 AD 2d 391 *
Nemet vs. Nemet                    491 NYS 2d 810 ( of counsel )
                                   112 AD 2d 359 *
Carimati vs. Carimati              462 NYS 2d 220
                                   94 AD 2d 659 *
Watson vs. Watson                  11 NYS 2d 357
                                   171 Misc 2d 175 *
Burton vs. Burton                  527 NYS2d 53
                                   139 AD 2d 554 *
Frover vs. Vindi                   516 NYS 2d 27
                                   130 AD 2d 710 *
Modello vs. Modello                499 NYS 2d 9
                                   118 AD 2d 549 *
FOrbush vs Forbush                 485 NYS 2d 898
Pulchino vs Pulchino               485 NYS 2d 318
Catania vs. Lippman                470 NYS2d 487
                                   98 AD 2d 826 *
Maier vs. Todd                     445 NYS 2d 51
                                   111 Misc 2d 788 *
Schauer vs. Joyce                  444 NYS 2d 564
                                   54 NY 2d 1     *
             ---------------
Alimony or Child Support Failure Malpractice :

In Re Fein : 59 B.R. 656 ( Federal Bankruptcy Court EDNY )
Jakobleff vs. Cerrato    97 AD 2d 831

Pendente Lite Support:

Ainsworth, SUllivan, Tracy & Knauf vs. Mallin 511 NYS 2d 965
__________________________________________________________________

3rd Party Liability:
Slotkin vs. Citizens          614 F2d 301
GIffin vs. Hardy              404 NYS 2d 405
                              62 AD 2d 5 *
Drago vs. Buonagurio          413 NYS 2d 90
                              439 NYS 2d 818
                              46 NY 2d 778
                              454 NYS 2d 37
                              457 NYS 2d 1025 *
Sapienza vs. NY (Daily) News  481 F. SUpp 676
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Your own lawyers Negligence:
Nitis vs. Goldenthal               513 NYS 2d 186
Larsen                             481 NYS2d 368
FIdler                             463 NYS2d 279
S.E.C. vs. Everest Mgmt.Corp..     463 NYS 2d 167

You Lawyer missed SOL:
Nardella vs. Bruff                 621 F. SUpp 1170
Frank                              470 NYS2d 388
Beer vs. Florsheim                 465 NYS 2d 196
Chicaffi vs. Wexler                497 NYS2d 703
                                   116 AD 2d 614 *

Failure to Proescute within SOL :
Quagliaro vs. United States        293 F. SUpp 670
Val vs. Heitner                    396 NYS 2d 602
                                   90 Misc 921    *

Failure to Defend within SOL :
Wolstencraft vs. Sassowerr         507 NYS 2d 728
                                   124 AD 2d 582 *
Skinner                            724 F2d 264
Martino                            455 NYS2d 354
                                   116 Misc 2d 231 *
Romano                             460 NYS 2d 842
Garguilio                          58 AD 2d 683
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MENTAL ANGUISH FOR ATTORNEY QUITTING BEFORE TRIAL :
Delesdenier vs. Porteine           666 F2d 116

_____________________________________________________

Failure to properly prepare for Trial :

Becker vs. Julian, Blitz & Schelperin, P.C.  95 Misc 64
                                             406 NYS 2d 412
                                             66 AD 2d 674
                                             411 NYS 2d 17
                                             47 NY 2d 761
                                             417 NYS 2d 464
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