SEE OUR UPDATE BELOW:
Sorry to step on the Captain's toes, but this is breaking......
DADE BAILIFF OLGA DURAND ARRESTED.
Time was when a young ASA or PD, upon leaving their office, needed a few things to set up shop and get into business:
An office ( ✔); an easy to remember phone number ( ✔);
a beeper (and later a cell phone) ( ✔); a receptionist ( ✔);
a bondsman, a bailiff and a few corrections officers to feed you cases ( ✔).
With the advent of the internet we thought things had changed. We were wrong.
Olga Durand, who was last seen in the REGJB as the bailiff for Judge Reemberto Diaz, was arrested Wednesday for taking money from a defendant to assist him with his traffic cases.
Ace Herald reporter David Ovalle broke the story here. The Herald also has 4 surveillance videos, mostly of the individual who was cooperating handing envelopes to the bailiff outside of family court.
Rumpole says: Bailiffs (and bondsmen and corrections officers) steering cases to defense attorneys is the second oldest profession in Dade County (Ok, third behind selling tickets to the cockfights). There are two attorneys named in the arrest warrant as being the recipient of the cases that the bailiff was hustling. We refrain from mentioning their names at this time, because they have not been charged to our knowledge. However, until the Dade SAO gets of their ass and takes down the attorneys kicking back fees to bailiffs, bondsmen and corrections officers, this kind of crap - which takes money away from all the honest lawyers in Dade County (insert your punchline here) - will never go away.
Update: We've carefully read the arrest warrant affidavit and we do not see that the attorneys mentioned committed a crime. That's the best we can say about them. Since when did continually shaking a client down for money become the sole focus of a law practice? Because that is a fair assessment of what occurred here. Sure the lawyer showed up for court. But it does not appear the lawyer met with the client and carefully prepared a defense strategy. We feel pretty comfortable guessing that no detailed motions were filed. That a meeting with the client reviewing the prosecution's discovery never occurred. All that happened was the client was hustled to a lawyer and continually shaken down for more fees as the lawyers coasted on gaming the system and hoping the police would not show up. There is no crime in those facts (assuming the lawyers were not involved in the procurement of the fake certificate of completion of traffic school). But that is an awful way to practice law. In fact it is not practicing law. It is taking money under the color of a law license. It's embarrassing and demeans the rest of the defense bar.
SeeYou In Court.
Arrest Warrant
When you see something that is not right, not fair, find a way to get in the way and cause trouble. Congressman John Lewis
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89 comments:
The arrest warrant names two attorneys.
The affidavit has the lawyers' name. John and Helen Amarantos.
I had this happen a few years ago (2003) with a bailiff who chased down my client outside the courtroom. client said he was broke and judge told him to go get a lawyer. The idiot bailiff handed my client a business card for a particular lawyer and said that if he hired that guy, he would be fine. (Sounds like the "fix" was in, doesn't it?)
Client then hired me. I reported it. Client wore wire and bailiff was not arrested but, was detained.
Judge was not in on it but, police did try to see if he was.
Turns out, bailiff just liked the lawyer and was sending him business.
Clent is now deceased from natural causes.
Bailiff should have been prosecuted in my humble opinion.
Client got better deal for cooperating with police.
Nother day in paradise..........
Wow. Finally they caught some dirty lawyers with their hand in the cookie jar. Now the question becomes, "What will they do about it?" If they fail to make an example out of these two lawyers, people will just continue this crap........
The Amarantos worked for Jonathan Schwartz (who is currently suspended by the Bar - can't believe no coverage here on that!)......this should suprise nobody
I'll reserve judgment until Helen and John plead.
New client came in for consult yesterday. Told me that a PTS intake rep solicited him for his case. PTS guy was waiting for his Bar results, then when he passed, he called the guy up to get his case.
3:36 are you serious? Prosecute the bailiff for handing out a business card?
What is wrong with a bailiff who likes an attorney recommending that attorney, as long as there is no quid pro quo?
How is that any different from my neighbor referring someone to me?
Nothing John or Helen did was illegal.
The only problem John will have is with the Florida Bar.
When did Carla Savola become a member of the bar? It seems that the complainant was practicing law without a license. I wonder if the SAO is following up on that.
As a biased friend of John and Helen, I agree with 5:20, 5:24 and 5:27; There does not appear to be evidence of kickbacks for cases or quid pro quo or any violation of a criminal statute. He was surveilled for this case for over a year and no charges are forthcoming. I believe they deserve the benefit of the doubt.
Carla isn't an attorney. Sunbiz has her listed as the Manager of the Savola Ticket center.
But don't worry, I'm sure all the rest of the details in that affidavit are spot on.
SAVE DADE endorsements. WTF Andrea Wolfson?
Handing out the business card is wrong but not prosecutable.
It Quacks like a duck
It Smells like a duck
As an aside did you know it violates the Bar Rules to create false cases , even to catch crooked Judges, and Lawyers are not supposed to go undercover cause its a form of lawyer lying..
These rules were developed after Courtbroom
DS!!
I can't believe you said that! I know you defend your clients with much more vigor than that duck crap.
Some glaring holes regarding any attorney misdeed-
1) no allegation that the attorney knew the bailiff solicited money after the fact from the client.
2) no allegation that the money collected from the client did not in fact go to the attorney.
If they used county funds, they should have been able to track the money. There is no allegation that the bailiff took a cut, or that there was any other payment from lawyer to bailiff.
Also, there was no indication the attorney knew or asked the bailiff to solicit on his behalf.
Being nice to the court personnel often gets you referrals. Nothing wrong with that. Every good lawyer has had a defendant approach him in the hallway, who was sent to you by the clerk, corrections, or bailiff. They don't all want money for it. Often they just see that you do a good job, so they are happy to send you a client.
Lawyers who are dicks to the court staff will never experience this.
Anyway, if the state used that duck analogy or the smoke/fire argument, you would certainly blow them out of the water. Don't stoop to their level.
this blog is full of rats.
I love the Miami lawyers really could not get more double standards than here. Y'all just keep promoting illegalities like its no big deal. No big deal that a baliff hussles money for lawyers in violaliton of the florida bar rules and the law. No big deal that the attorney then meets the client and outside of the courtroom a clear indicator that there is clearly a realtionship between the baliff and the lawyer. No big deal that the baliff is related to the board members of the PBA (a corrupt organization, birds of a feather flock together).
There is no such thing as ethics in the judicial system of Miami-Dade we need to clean house and start over.
John Amarantos and Helen got busted! Common sense tells you where there is smoke there is fire. They got caught and they will have to answer to the bar and anyone else who olga gave cases to because you better believe she is gonna cooperate with the State in order to get a deal. She is looking at prison bottom of the guidelines. With 2 F3 and an F2. She should be ashamed of herself big time.
uhhmmmmm I think that shit is about to hit the pan. Seems to me like there is a lot of uc investigations going on. Judges, Attorneys, Courtroom staffs beware. In the last year, Junior the Clerk got busted, Pando's intern got busted, Olga got busted, John and Helen are in some shit now..... who is gonna fall next? Keep doing things on the side people and see what happens to you. Miami mentality is to cut corners, be slick, be dirty, be lazy and get ahead.
The fact that John and Helen took over 5k from this guy and never once met him over the several months that he was meeting and paying Olga says it all. This shit was no way legit. They are in deep water......State needs to look into their other cases that were dismissed because of officers failing to appear at trial and dig a little deeper......
Where have you gone Bobby Reiff?
Our Justice Building turns its lonely eyes towards you.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 7:33:00 PM
hey, reality is reality, why should ds defend someone who is not his client. we all know what goes on behind the scenes. leave the lawyerly analysis for the jury, this is real life baby on this blog, where we get to say with conviction where there is smoke there is fire, where we call a thing that quacks and has feathers a duck without having to do a dna test. so stop with the stupid attack. you can bullshit a jury all you want but you can't bullshit a lawyer outside of the court room, we have seen it all, heard it all, and defended it all, and at the end of the day reality is "Where there is smoke there is fire" and "if it quacks like a duck looks like a duck, it is a duck"
25 pages of alleged facts, not a single allegation the attorney did anything wrong.
My next door neighbor had a brother who was arrested. She of course suggested he hire me. I gave her my retainer agreement, she had my card, and she had her brother sign the retainer. She got the retainer payment from him which was cash, and she gave me the money.
When the next payment was over due, she was very embarrassed and called her brother, and got the money which she then delivered to me.
Should I turn myself in to the bar?
You think Olga's husband does not do the same thing? You know he is just a bad a she is. I mean really he is on the Board of the PBA, that should tell you how dirty he is.
I wonder if they will follow the cash into the Amarantos's firm books to see what they showed as the total fees for these cases. Did they receive the entire 5k, or was it less due to a kickback? Did they report the entire amount to the IRS?
For what other purpose would Olga refer the case, continually meet with the client to talk and receive additional payments for John, and help falsify documents unless she was receiving financial gain? The whole thing stinks and the attorneys need to go down.
Its too bad because I have always liked John and Helen, but this shit needs to stop......
Can the FACDL person responsible for the fax machine in attorney room 231, please buy a new toner cartridge?
It is undisputed that Olga and John did a good job for their client. Olga saved him the lines at the Clerk's Office and the DMV to pay the tickets, do the payment plans and clear the suspensions. The money that he paid for court costs, fines and penalties went straight to the Clerk. According to the warrant affidavit, if it is to be believed, she only asked for $300 as a gift for her services, which, time and convenience wise, were worth a lot more than $300.
The money she collected for John Amarantos went to him and there is no allegation in the warrant affidavit that he gave her any kickback.
Olga is a nice person who likes to help. Remember when she would cook and bake goodies for the jurors in her courtroom at MJB. The only thing that may be illegal, if true, would be the fake traffic school certificate. But remember also that when Chief Exposito arrested Georgia Ayers' relative and Mayor Regalado's buddies for selling fake community hours completions, the SAO refused to prosecute and blasted the chief for it.
Looking at the arrest warrant affidavit in the light most favorable to the state using the state's own descriptions of her violations of the law, there seems to be not much more than the fake traffic school certificate and the county ethics ordinance. The uttering charge is likely to fail against Olga as it looks like the utterer was the school owner and the unlawful compensation may fail too because she was not getting paid by the cooperating witness for doing her job (because her job is in family court as a bailiff) but getting paid for acting as a runner/courier doing lines for the cw to pay his fines and payment plans.
The question is why the SAO gives free passes to David Rivera, Tomas Regalado and Raquel Regalado for much bigger stuff and spends money and time on a $300 "compensation case". Why doesn't the SAO do something about attorneys who do pay kickbacks to correction officers and bondsmen? Is there politics involved here? Kathy trying to show that she's doing something about public corruption while at the same time giving payback to the PBA for their support of Rod Vereen?
If the Bailiff had gotten a cut of the fee, why would she ask for the $300 gift after the fact??
The obvious answer is that she doesn't get a kickback from the attorney, and doesnt get a cut of the fee. She waits till the attorney has done a good job for the client- which he clearly did, then asks for the "Gift."
If that is her MO, then it does not implicate the attorney at all.
All those videos and controlled phone calls, and not one where the bailiff calls the attorney saying "I have another client for you, same deal as usual, I'll take my piece from the down payment."
The IRS???
That comment clearly did not come from a private attorney.
I have to disagree 10:22. I think the obvious implication is that the bailiff was getting a cut of the fee. I think to do all that work for the hope she would get a "gift" is farfetched. I think the gift was the final greedy shakedown.
Olga is a bailiff in circuit civil , no connection to traffic court. Why can't she refer people she meets with traffic issues to a lawyer? Who cares if she gets a couple of bucks from the lawyer or the client? It's fucking traffic court have you been there? One lawyer shows up wearing bits and pieces of mismatched suits and covers for all the other ticket lawyers hoping the cop doesn't show or that she wrote the wrong sub section on the ticket. Big fucken deal! The whole fee probably doesn't top 300 bucks . Leave the kids alone.
To finish my point, how much taxpayer momy do you think was diverted from the marlins stadium and kicked back to commissioners , and inspectors? How much was stolen by contractors using false invoices? Don't even get me started on the arscht center, or the port tunnel! Even if the Amarantos were paying a kickback for bullshit referrals the is no law against it , only a bar rule on fee splitting. Point is we live in corruption land and this 300 bullshit is what they go after? Fucken joke
10:46- except the total fee taken from the client was close to 5k. Which is a lot more than $300
Rumpole, the fee that the bailiff is alleged to have charged herself is $300 which is a pittance for the work she actually did to pay the fines and get the client a good license.
In traffic court, the defense strategy to win driving while license suspended cases is to set aside or pay the suspensions that the client has, get the D-6 clearances and reinstate their licenses so that you can produce a valid license in court and get the case nolle prossed.
Carla Ascencio-Savola, who is not a member of the Florida Bar, has run unsuccesfully for state representative, so we got to see how this thing plays out politically, because, most certainly, there is politics behind this arrest.
1046 is so right. You people are total fucking looser bottom feeders to get all worked up about this. Trust me- I'm right.
Bailiffs are county employees. On county tax player time this bailiff was enriching her own pockets. Her actions are indefensible. Your attempt to defend her work and her earning a few is ludicrous.
I'm seeing this whole mess optioned to Hollywood and remade as a buddy/buddy/ madcap comedy of errors movie. Zach Galifinakis as John A. Julia Louis Dryfus as Helen A. Larry David as the befuddled client trying to get a traffic ticket handled. George Clooney as judge Diaz and Helen Hunt as as the bailiff.
Here's the plot. Larry David approaches Helen Hunt to get his ticket handled. She sends it to Galifinakis who blows it and David's license is suspended. David meanwhile purchases a winning power ball ticket. David gets stopped for speeding and arrested. In jail on tv he sees that his ticket has won 185 million. He calls Julia Louis Drufus to pick up his things from property which she does and she tosses them in the back of her car and goes out with Galifinakis to the Hard Rock to gamble. Joe Pesci is a car thief who steals Helen's car with the winning power ball ticket in the back. Meanwhile Larry David can't get out of jail and George Clooney has just been spurned with having an affair with Helen Hunt, who, learning from Julia Louise Drufus and Larry David that the winning power ball ticket was stolen, tries to enlist the help of Judge Diaz/George Clooney to get some police officers to locate the car and the ticket.
The fun ensues from there.
We'll make millions!
Pretty sure the many people here claiming this is no big deal are just really hoping this is no big deal.... I trust these same people made some phone calls to certain people yesterday and asked "we're good, right?"
No doubt. All this is going on while KFR is sitting on several boxes of files on Sergio Pino, literally ready to indict yacht she refuses to do so. She has become an integral part of the Cuban mafia down here, essentially she's their enabler.
While I could give a rats ass about this bailiff, her prosecution reeks of politics and payback to Rivera.
I love it! I'd like to cast Tom Arnold as the shady bail bondsman shaking down poor Larry David and Jonah Hill as the police officer/love interest for Helen.
Adam Sandler as the inept Corrections Officer and Ving Rhames as Larry David's cellmate who take pity on him and schools him on how to survive in jail. The final feel-good scene would be Larry David cashing his power ball ticket and Ving Rhames as his private security guard driving his stretch Escolade.
Guys, you have a hit on your hands. Seriously.
Zimmerman spoke to the press about the shooting incident? WTF?
And his attorney permitted it? WTF x 2.
Quick, 7:42, get someone to cover your cases, finish up that script today and shop it to the major Hollywood studios!
815, 813 u are a douche.
Enough of all your bull shit. I am so sick and tired of all your bull shit. You know why it is wrong because it is illegal, why is it illegal because the law says so. Why is Olga arrested because she knowingly did something illegal. It is wrong, it is for the protection of the people, it is plainly and clearly on the books as being against the LAW so stop making bull shit excuses for people. Wrong is wrong. all of your sympathetic arguments are valuable only at time of sentencing. So maybe she is nice person and doesnot deserve a prison or jail sentence, but what she did is still ILLEGAL. Do you Miami Lawyers know what ILLEGAL MEANS. Do you understand the reasons these rules are there are for the protection of the average citizen and not for your friends. YOU ALL REALLY NEED A LESSON IN ETHICS AND MORALITY. Miami Court House needs to be cleaned out from the top to the bottom all a bunch of corner cutting, bullshit talking, fake ass, out for self, unethical assholes. I hope one day you find yourselves in the shoes of a person who is on the bad end of one of your buddies doing an illegal favor and then you will know why its wrong.
No shit. Thats a great plot. Put a script together. Call it "The Ticket." nice double entandre. Summer 2013 blockbuster hit
Kathryn Fernandez Rundle has little balls. She lets so many people get away with crap. Instead of filing JQC complaints against judges that do things wrong, she shifts prosecutors until she can find one to "fit", instead of going after corrupt congress men she "lets the statute of limitations run out" Step of the podium Kathy and let someone else do the job you have not done.
I love the title "THE TICKET" it has a great double meaning. I don't like summer 2013. I'm thinking more October 2013. After the summer blockbuster hits and before the Thanksgiving/Christmas blockbusters. A nice, simple, fun 98-110 minute movie, slipped right in and done right can gross 60-80 mil first two opening weeks.
I'm also thinking that their needs to be one high speed car chase. Zack Galifinakis as John A, finds out who has the ticket and while he is driving to get him, police officer Jonah Hill is driving to arrest Zack/John A. They zoom on and off I-95, down south beach, ocean drive, and finally a crash scene at the Justice Building parking lot which Larry David sees as he and Ving Rhaymes and Tom Arnold are walking out of the Dade County Jail.
Meanwhile Judge Brown, played by Jeffrey Tambor (hey now Hank Kingsley and the dad in the Hangover) is holding a press conference on the steps of the Justice Building getting hounded by Herald reporter David Ovalle (played by a cameo Al Pacino. Zach G, gets out of his car and is chased by Jonah Hill, Larry David, Tom Arnold and Vin Rhaymes. Zach runs up to Jeffrey Tambor/Judge Brown and knocks him into the fountains of the Justice Building and tackles Browns' Bailiff, none other than car theif Joe Pesci and wrestles the ticket away from Joe. The wind catches the ticket and starts to blow it across the street and into the Miami River with the whole cast chasing it, when out of the blue....JR THE BAILIFF jumps up and grabs it and saves the day.
I see two issues:
1) this Olga lady. A Miami cop on the take. This is news?
2) The other bailiff. "Turns out, bailiff just liked the lawyer and was sending him business."
How is this wrong?
"Bailiff should have been prosecuted in my humble opinion." For what? Liking someone?
For all the people making excuses, change Olga for a bondsman and think about your arguments
I'm thinking south of France- Canes film festival. The whole cast. A big party. And BTW, the casting of Jeffrey Tambor as Judge Joel Brown is bloody brillant.
I think the Florida Bar needs to do an inquiry of all Miami Attorneys and Judges and have them sit for a seminar on ethics. I hope they start sending more undercover investigators into the court house and the court rooms. The judges all cover up for each other so do the attorneys and the cops. Stop it. Lets clean up Miami
This has been going on for a while now. Alot of court employees are doing things on the side. Clerk's also taking money and doing things illegaly. There are Bailiffs that are process servers and count their money in open court. You see them at the clerks office during working hours filing papers on cases that they are working on personally. Then we have JA'S who refeffer cases to certain attorneys they like and get a referral fee in return. Its been going on for a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng time. Its a real shame. They need to crack down on this.
You can stop trying to post nasty comments about dead people. I won't post them. People have a right to defend themselves.
I'm lovin this madcap movie script being played out here.
glad I'm a PD
First Zimmerman talks to FOX, then tries to do an impromptu interview on live television with Barbara Walters. What the heck is going on over there?!
I pray this is the tip of the iceberg. I am one of the few who earns their money through good web presence and referrals from satisfied clients. If I took bondsman, corrections, and court staff referrals, I'd probably be a lot richer with all that extra business. But the lack of peace of mind and constant worry of bar implications (or worse) isn't worth it.
It's not sour grapes about losing business. It's about fairness and ethics. I can live with losing a prospective client to a more experienced lawyer or even a lawyer who offers a lower fee. That's business. What I can't tolerate is having a prospective client sit down in my office, and when I ask them have you spoken to any other attorneys, they hand me a business card given to by their bondsman.
I agree with the earlier comment about lawyers who were making frantic phone calls after the Herald story broke. I'm sure Olga Durand had other attorneys in her pocket. And you'd better believe as she looks at prison time for her crimes, she will sing like a bird and give the cops, bar, and SAO every name she knows. This could be the beginning of the end for dirty referrals and I couldn't be more pleased.
MEMO: FROM CJ JOEL BROWN
TO: GOV RICKY SCOTT
RE: SAVING $$$
Ric- some issues have arisen in Dade county recently, and call me crazy, but I have an idea.
A bailiff here got nabbed selling cases to attorneys. And I got to thinking why not make the bailiff's job tips only? Take them off the state payroll completely. We have a restaurant here called Joes, and to get seated you need to fold a twenty in your hand and shake the hand of the maitre d and slip him the cash and then you get a table. Why not make those scum sucking defense attorneys that are always causing problems do the same? They can wait with the rest of the crowd in the back of the courtroom or by slipping the bailiff a 20 they can get their case called right away. Plus, lets have the bailiffs do the court appointments for say- 10%. We can call it a "processing fee". An enterprising bailiff can make a 100K easily working hard and we can save the taxpayers millions in salary and bennies.
Run this by the legal honchos, but this has Republican do it yourself small business written all over it.
Your Pal,
Joel B.
The thing that bothers me is that the arrest affidavit went out of its way to slander Olga's husband, daughter and the PBA none of which appear to have had anything to do with this case. The affidavit was prepared by the State Attorney's office - why the need to besmirch these people if your intent is not to take a swipe at the PBA for supporting Rod Vereen. I like Kathy, but this is dirty and wrong.
Let me explain why I intend to appear at the bailiffs' sentencing as a victim. I am a hard working attorney that has a family that depends upon me. Every time this bailiff hustled a case to that scummy pair of lawyers, they took money out of my pocket. I surely would have done a better and more professional job, charged less, and the client wouldn't be asked to pay anyone gifts. Plus she demeaned my profession. She can't make it on a bailiff's salary? Tough shit. I went to law school. I have school loans. Maybe she should have worked harder in high school. I worked hard and the bailiffs and short order cooks of the world laughed at me. Who's laughing now?
She stole from me and all the other honest lawyers in Miami, and she demeaned my profession. Look for me at her sentencing. And look for me filing a pleading in the bar complaint against the lawyer. I will be there as well, telling the bar why he shouldn't be allowed to practice anymore.
I did things right. They didn't. This slick little hustler and his cohort are big time gamblers. They brag about their spending at the Hardrock. Now we know where they were getting the money from. I was in my office Friday nights, meeting clients, reviewing discovery, filing motions, while they were taking the cash from the bailiff and feeding it into slot machines. Good riddance of these two and that little hustler bailiff.
5:24
You jealous piece of shit.
Maybe you should have worked harder in high school and college, you would have been on scholarship to law school, and you could be that much wealthier.
You have a family to support. Maybe that's why you don't have the money to go to the Hardrock. Maybe you are a shitty gambler. Who the fuck do you think you are to say that the attorneys did anything to demean your profession? You may make assumptions, but as of now, there is nothing that says they did anything wrong.
Among the reasons people refer cases is not only because they think the attorney will do a good job, but because the attorney doesn't treat the court staff like shit. Some lawyers don't look down on clerks and bailiffs as people who are stupid and lazy.
Many of our bailiffs served in the military, were police officers, then became bailiffs. I know you never had te guts to do such things, but don't belittle people who do. It does not surprise me that with your obnoxious "I'm better than you" attitude that no one in that courthouse would ever do you a favor and get you a client.
Also you should know that the attorney does favors for people all over that courthouse. I see it happen every day. That's why people refer them cases. People like them.
Where is the allegation that the Bailiff got any money from the lawyer? Where is the allegation that the lawyer knew about any of her other wrongdoing? Where is the allegation that the lawyer knew she was hitting up the client for money?
You would have done a better job??? The affidavit says that all the cases the attorney worked on were nolle prossed? What outcome do you get on your cases? Apologies from the State?
Stop talking out of your ass. Go home to your fat family in Pembroke Pines. Save some money for your kids education cause they ain't getting a scholarship either.
Just cause you fucked up and knocked up some greedy bimbo and you now have to spend Friday nights filing motions instead of enjoying the money you make, don't be an jealous douchebag.
take out the last remark abut who is the guy, and I would have posted the comment. That went over the line. Why kick people when they're down?
You think that slick little hustler did any legal work? He got lucky because the cops didn't show. I paid my dues. I worked for the PDs before going out on my own. Ask any state attorney about those two. Do they file motions? No. Do they ever go to a jury trial? No. They just get hired from their sources and then squeeze and squeeze the client for money and then hope the cop doesn't show. Their only repeat clients are the 20% who got their cases dismissed because they got lucky. WHat kind of scumbag asks for more money because the client got arrested, like that makes a difference. See anything in the affidavit about the client meeting the lawyer to discuss the case? Wanna bet if you look at the court file no motions were filed? Wanna bet if you look at every stinkin DUI they hustled in the last year no motion was filed? Wanna bet in every stinkin felony they slimed their way into no repos were taken, no motions were filed? They make me sick because while they have a law degree, they are not lawyers. They don't do legal work. They just squeeze and rip clients and they have no conscience. They took money and sold a bill of good to clients and did no legal work and had no conscience and slept well at night I bet something is keeping them up now.
I work for a living. I practice my craft. I hone my skills to be better in motions and trials. I read the FLWs and the 3rd DCA decisions. You think they do any of that? WOuld you hire them? I thought not. They make me sick.
Why kick people when they are down? Depends on why they are down did they put themselves in that position by doing bad things or was it an act of God?
They are busting balls of a bailiff who did no more than refer a client to a lawyer. Puh-leeze.
99% of the bullshit referrals go through scumbag bondsmen. Bust one of them and then we'll talk.
Because you were a PD that means something? Well if so, shut your pie hole. Mr. Amarantos was a PD too.
Doesn't file motions? Yes, he does. Did he do it in this particular case? I don't know, maybe there was no legal basis to do so.
Would I hire them? Yes. They get results. That's the bottom line.
And please don't even start spouting numbers as if you have any clue what percentage of their cases are referrals, repeat clients, Or new clients. You don't know and you are just making it up as you go along.
Yeah everyone says if you get a real tough DUI case to hire that little slickster because he tries so many tough cases and has such a great work ethic and files so many kick ass motions. Yeah his reputation is the go-to lawyer in tough cases. Thats why he has corrupt bailiffs hustling cases for him. When you lie with dogs you get fleas.
I have nothing personal against john and helen, in fact i don't know them very well. Am i the only one noticing that not only olga referred the person to john and helen but collected part of the fees as well. That to me goes just a little beyond referring a lawyer.
Bottom line...no matter which way you feel about the lawyers in this case, its very clear that John should have known that allowing a baliff to make his collections was a bad idea. It was illegal for the baliff to do it and it looks extremely shady on his part. Just stupid and deserves Bar attention
What's with this "affidavit?"
The Affiant claims that the lawyer's (J.A.) bar number is 14216. Check it out with the Fla. Bar site. No go.
J.A.'s bar number is 17900.
Did the Affiant get anything else wrong?
Thank God this wasn't a warrantless/ no knock SWAT team takedown based on this "affidavit."
Olga was caught on the video calling John while collecting cash for him on multiple occasions...no defense to that. An attorney should not be an accessory to a criminal act, which he clearly is in this case. She was dressed in county clothing, on county time, at a courthouse, working for an attorney by making his collections.........
As I read these comments, I am reminded of something I often notice about the blog and lawyers in general.
We are a miserable bunch. I can't imagine any group of people who work in an industry together, who dislike one another so much. As a group, we revel in the misery of others, and find joy when one of our own has his reputation dragged trough the mud based on bare allegations.
Do we wonder why our livelihoods are being whittled away by the legislature? It is because we never stand together, we backstab, and we are on the edge of our seats waiting for the opportunity to sink a colleague.
Wonder why the AMA has such a powerful lobby? Because doctors are loathe to condemn one another. They support one another. Wonder why people respect doctors? Because they don't act like snakes in public forums.
Lawyers will sell one another out for a dollar. Doctors go to bat for one another.
It is disgusting how many DEFENSE lawyers are here bashing someone based on an arrest affidavit that has clear errors in it.
Is that the kind of representation you give your clients? Assume he is guilty based on an arrest form?? I hope not.
So you want me to not sign up for the registry because we should all stick together???
I have never taken a court appointed case, and don't intend to. But if this is the way we stick together, I may sign up on Monday.
This business is about the client, not the lawyer. And clients care only about results.
There is nothing wrong with getting a case nolle prossed for witness failure to appear. We all rely on that strategy. Whether a petit theft where we know the store security guard is not coming to court or a serious felony where the victim has moved away.
Be concerned with getting results for your clients. Don't be concerned with filing frivolous motions or taking cases to trial when the state is offering diversion.
File motions that are legally applicable to your case and necessary for the result your client wants. Try cases that cannot be resolved. Be an advocate first and foremost.
If we spent more time focusing on our clients' needs and less time worrying about whether people think we're good lawyers because we file motions and try cases, out profession would be in a better state than it is currently.
we're not social workers
i have needs
Bravo 8:34 pm, you are so right. So many of these lawyers canibalize each other. It sinks the profession.
If you are court personnel you don't refer litigants to lawyers PERIOD! Bottom line: NO SHILLING AT THE COURTHOUSE! Personal referrals to friends are allowed. Read the County Ethics handbook. What she did was wrong on many levels. And let's face it, she's a WINGNUT anyways. Bad Juju for Diaz though.
Stop bitching about the bondsmen. If you have an issue call the SAO with some proof.
80% of the defense bar does little to no work and many times file non-applicable motions that were previously written by someone else in FACDL and then passed around.
I've dealt with both John and Helen and I put them in a unique group of attorneys where many time they can get a good result for their client because they are likable people. They don't handle anything overly seriously (for the most part), so when they need you to give their client a break you may do it because they don't waste your time.
It disgusts me that so many of you are true believers in your shit head clients, and bemoan a bad stop or search despite your client making thousands of dollars pushing smack (and these people have money for drugs, alcohol, and other bullshit) but can't even pay your lowball fees upfront that you guys quote now. The moment two of your own (and good people) may be in trouble, the defense bar is the first to throw them to the wolves.
The majority of county court is either hope the cop/witness doesn't show or plea - don't say otherwise. They don't go to trial?!?! Puh-lease. I can only name a handful of defense attorneys who try more than 3 cases a year from the private bar. Most of you are businessmen/women who practice law on the side - few of you practice law with business on the side.
I'm glad I'm still young enough to realize that criminal defense is a dying art.
At least we're not Broward
Carla Savola...LOL!
You should see how many times she has be in court without her husband (the actual attorney), negotiated with the State Attorney's in court and stood up in front of a judge when the cases are called without the actual attorney being present...very careful not to announce her name on the record, though. She seems to have stopped this after Judge Altfield started inquiring about who she was but it was common practice for her at one point.
If anyone should be prosecuted, it should be her for the unauthorized practice of law.
You have your head up your ass
By the way
The Quack /Smells like a Duck comment refers to the Bailiff and HER apparently illegal, videoed, referral service as an County employee using her position for her own gain. She was in uniform and may have been on county time. As a Court Employee, a JUDGE's Bailiff, her actions are improper if not illegal. Certainly they violate the Rules for Judges and their staff.
I dont know anything about John nor Helen's legal practice. I make No comments about them nor their work.
But it looks and quacks like a Duck that 'Olga' was getting alot of the up front money paid directly to 'Olga' from the potential client. That Smells like a Duck, especially since on video.
I feel sorry for Judge Diaz who could take a hit because his Bailiff is possibly dirty
DS
How many people on this blog who are acting to pious, have given a 1/3 for a non-lawyer referral. Be honest.
hater nation
I have a case in this building where
my soon to be x is having sex will one of her lawyers.
Where the filing by her lawyers are all lies.
And the people paying for her legal fees to relocated my kids to NJ are being investigated for killing his own son.
While both lawyer I had only care about when I was bringing them money while I was fighting to keep my kids safe since my soon to be X has mental issues which she has injured and put the kids in danger many times.There are police reports
12,000.00 dollars later am broke.
I dont longer have a lawyer.
and the Judge I have is a clown.
And I could tell more that even worse ,
Dade county is so corrupt there no saving it.
corrupt bailiff wonder where they leaned it
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