Cynthia Short-Local Attorney no longer representing Irwin and Bradley

[gwenabob]

I imagine the person paying the bill can fire whomever they want.

Actually, it is against the law and unethical to have a third party pay an attorney's fees. That creates a conflict of interest. If a third party wanted to give the money to DB and JI and then they pay the attorney, that will work. But a person cannot hire an attorney for another person. Who would the attorney then answer to? Who would be the client? The only exception would be for a minor situation.

The post I am replying to makes it clear why this is the way it is.

 

[21merc7]

Actually, it is against the law and unethical to have a third party pay an attorney's fees. That creates a conflict of interest. If a third party wanted to give the money to DB and JI and then they pay the attorney, that will work. But a person cannot hire an attorney for another person. Who would the attorney then answer to? Who would be the client? The only exception would be for a minor situation.

The post I am replying to makes it clear why this is the way it is.

Not really gwen;

Parents of adult children pay for the adult's attorney. Husband's pay for mistresses' attorneys, attorneys pay for old clients new attorneys if they liked them, hookers pay the pimps attorney, strangers send attorneys money for serial killers' cases, you get the idea. It never need be disclosed where the money came from when you retain an attorney.

The attorney's only obligation is to the client, no matter who paid what to whom or why, even if the attorney knows where the money came from, which most times they do.

 

[Mojen]

I can't imagine any good attorney willing to enter this time-consuming mess for free.

JMO

You would be surprised. A chance to make a name for themselves? Look at Jose Baez. I don't know if he was paid (didn't follow the case), but OMG, look at the name he made for himself. He is a brilliant defense attorney.

Lectures, TV appearances, book deals, etc., are ripe for the taking for a defense attorney worth their salt. Not to mention bragging rights within the legal community.

It's not about if your client is innocent of charges, it's about having them found not guilty.

 

[MyBelle]

If there comes a time that it is determined the State wants to pursue charges against the family, I'm thinking murder charges - not saying it will happen or is the case - then the video can be used at trial and CS would be called as a witness to explain what is being seen, when it was filmed, etc...

Her blog (just PR damage for her and clients) telling the world there will be pressers daily, then canceling the presser with an excuse blaming the family, not herself, for her self made presser. That was not good PR, nothing to do with legal issues except that it did not make her look as if she knows what she is doing as an attorney. Made her clients look bad, yet it was her decision, her action to be taken, her not willing to do it and blaming it on client. Not good for family, not good for her. PR related only.

I think her clients have made themselves look bad and CS wants no part of their self-destruction. Can't say that I blame her for bailing.

CS hasn't blamed her clients for anything and she can't be a witness against her former clients. And if the parents were still willing to go ahead with the childrens' interviews, Joe Tacopina would not have cancelled it.

JMO

 

[Aedrys]

LOL!!!! Makes perfect sense!!

It confused me every time I saw it here. There is a bar called Whiskey Tango about 20 minutes outside of Kansas City. I wondered how that bar could be associated with this case. :crazy:

I was thinking it was some kind of code/inside joke, like the one we had with squirrels in the Casey Anthony case, LOL! I'm going to use it from now on instead wtf! I love it!

 

[MyBelle]

You would be surprised. A chance to make a name for themselves? Look at Jose Baez. I don't know if he was paid (didn't follow the case), but OMG, look at the name he made for himself. He is a brilliant defense attorney.

Lectures, TV appearances, book deals, etc., are ripe for the taking for a defense attorney worth their salt. Not to mention bragging rights within the legal community.

It's not about if your client is innocent of charges, it's about having them found not guilty.

FYI: Baez didn't work for free and Casey is the one who hired him.

 

[Aedrys]

You would be surprised. A chance to make a name for themselves? Look at Jose Baez. I don't know if he was paid (didn't follow the case), but OMG, look at the name he made for himself. He is a brilliant defense attorney.

Lectures, TV appearances, book deals, etc., are ripe for the taking for a defense attorney worth their salt. Not to mention bragging rights within the legal community.

It's not about if your client is innocent of charges, it's about having them found not guilty.

Sorry for the OT, but oh yes he was paid from the sale of Caylee's pictures early on the case, and on top of that, didn't make sure taxes were paid on the $200,000 made off of those pictures, so now the IRS is going after Casey. And I would not call him brilliant. Infamous, maybe, the luckiest worst lawyer out there, but never brilliant. That case is a once in a lifetime fluke of his that will never happen again. Heck, recently Barbara Walters refused to hug him or interview Casey Anthony. He is made fun of for how bad he is still, and the few speaking engagements he's had were laughable. He is not making a career out of the Casey Anthony case, not at all. Now he's hoping to save that guy in Aruba who's wife went missing. I don't think lightening is going to strike twice for him. He hasn't written a book and can't get Casey a book deal at all. Other defense lawyers should take Baez as a warning, not as someone to pattern their careers after. Look how well it's working in Lisa's case!

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Baez is brilliant? :floorlaugh:

(Reigning myself in now.)

 

[21merc7]

I think her clients have made themselves look bad and CS wants no part of their self-destruction. Can't say that I blame her for bailing.

CS hasn't blamed her clients for anything and she can't be a witness against her former clients. And if the parents were still willing to go ahead with the childrens' interviews, Joe Tacopina would not have cancelled it.

JMO

I agree somewhat, but she can still be called as witness. Even if she was still the attorney, the prosecutor could stop - talk with the Judge (if the tape is needed) and have her pulled as a witness. She could no longer be the attorney, which does not matter now, but she would be pulled and another assigned. Now she can just be a witness, no longer attorney of nothing, just a citizen witness in the case. I have seen it happen a lot of times. Federal cases are the worst for this. Oh, and I mean only for the tape of the tour she hosted, nothing about anything discussed, unless they told her where the baby is of course.

 

[MyBelle]

It happens all of the time, and they are no longer her clients at that point. Another attorney would be appointed or retained if there are charges. In the case of retained, any remaining retainer fee would then be transferred to the new retained counsel.

Privilege carries over whether they are her clients at that point or not.

 

[Mojen]

sorry for the OT, but oh yes he was paid from the sale of Caylee's pictures early on the case. And I would not call him brilliant. Infamous, maybe, the luckiest worst lawyer out there, but never brilliant. That case is a once in a lifetime fluke of his that will never happen again.

I respectfully disagree. He got the job he was hired for done.

But anyway, that's neither here nor there.

 

[21merc7]

Privilege carries over whether they are her clients at that point or not.

Nope, please see my post above this one.

 

[Aedrys]

I respectfully disagree. He got the job he was hired for done.

But anyway, that's neither here nor there.

No, he didn't. He got lucky with a jury that couldn't bother to care enough about the case to really deliberate. Go to the Casey case on here and read up on it. I suffered through it for three years of hearings and the trial and I know for a fact that just because he got a not guilty verdict does not make him a good lawyer at all!!!!

But you're right, that's not here or there in this case, except that I hope Tacopina and the local lawyers are not using him as example. That is the worst thing that could happen to this case.

 

[MyBelle]

I agree somewhat, but she can still be called as witness. Even if she was still the attorney, the prosecutor could stop - talk with the Judge (if the tape is needed) and have her pulled as a witness. She could no longer be the attorney, which does not matter now, but she would be pulled and another assigned. Now she can just be a witness, no longer attorney of nothing, just a citizen witness in the case. I have seen it happen a lot of times. Federal cases are the worst for this.

What on earth are you talking about? No attorney can be forced to testify against any client. And what tape are you talking about?

JMO

 

[21merc7]

What on earth are you talking about? No attorney can be forced to testify against any client. And what tape are you talking about?

JMO

The house tour she gave, and yes attorneys are called as witnesses when they have put themselves in that position.

 

[KathrynL]

Just posted this in media links-this writer believes losing Cyndy Short is bad for Lisa and the family.

http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/cyndy-shorts-exit-bad-news-baby-lisa-irwin/#ixzz1c6dx6ycb

 

[curiositycat]

Interesting article regarding the exit of Cyndy Short

http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/cyndy-shorts-exit-bad-news-baby-lisa-irwin/#ixzz1c6dx6ycb

 

[MyBelle]

Nope, please see my post above this one.

You might want to become familiar with legal privilege and what it entails.

 

[curiositycat]

Just posted this in media links-this writer believes losing Cyndy Short is bad for Lisa and the family.

http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/cyndy-shorts-exit-bad-news-baby-lisa-irwin/#ixzz1c6dx6ycb

Looks like we posted the same thing at the same time! :innocent:

 

[21merc7]

You might want to become familiar with legal privilege and what it entails.

I am, in the field for nearly 20 years.