Former Defense Attorney,Todd Macaluso *Merged*

[RR0004]

Despite the fact that it's sheer coincidence, and entirely his own doing ... let's add him to the list of lives ruined by Ms. Thang anyway.

I wonder if he'll be able to get his money back?

 

[celticthyme]

Dammmmmmmmmmmm not the attorney I was hoping for!

 

[MD MOMMY]

Dammmmmmmmmmmm not the attorney I was hoping for!

Me either I was so excited opening this thread too:waitasec:

 

[BeanE]

I wonder if he'll be able to get his money back?

:floorlaugh:

 

[logicalgirl]

LOL - I see my sudden rush of excitement was just a bit too presumptive or at least a whole lot of wishful thinking.

And I see I'm in good company! :woohoo:

 

[Lanie]

Lol, I was all excited, too. Oh, well...

 

[sleutherontheside]

I was under the impression it was an involuntary suspension of unspecified length, but not yet a disbarment.

 

[believe09]

Will he be replaced and can he be called by the SA regarding his statement about having evidence showing the remains were placed at the sight when Casey was in jail?

 

[Macushla]

LOL - I see my sudden rush of excitement was just a bit too presumptive or at least a whole lot of wishful thinking.

And I see I'm in good company! :woohoo:

Don't feel bad. One of the top stories on the 5 pm news last night was "Casey Anthony Defense Attorney steps down" I actually let out a whoop (scared the heck out of the dogs) and then they announced it was Malacuso - what a let down!

 

[sleutherontheside]

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/oregon/ordce/1:2008cv03059/88549/179/

Attorney Carton in January 2007 sent a check in the amount of $824,930.80 to Defendant
Macaluso. This represented 20 % of the net proceeds received to date after attorney fees and costs
of the Kylie Bechler Wrongful Death Estate settlement received The check was made out to
Plaintiffs and Macaluso & Associates and was deposited in Defendant Macaluso's trust account.
(Compi. ~~ 73-74.)
On February 12,2007, Defendant Macaluso sent by federal express a trust account check
in the amount of $299,520.78 made out to" Ernie Bechler, Pat Bechler & Mike Bechler" and an
"accounting" in care of their Medford, Oregon, address. (Compi. ~~ 76, 79.) The "accounting"
listed deductions taken from the $824, 920.80 check from attorney Carton. This included a 40%
attorney fee based on the final net amount expected to be received of $989,904.96, $78,438.04 in
costs and LA Funding Loan Interest of$5l,000. (Am. Compi. Ex. D.) This check was returned
by Defendants' bank as "NSF" and it was not until February 22,2007, that Defendant Macaluso
wired the funds to Plaintiffs' bank account to cover the NSF check. (Compi. ~~ 77-78.)

Plaintiffs
were concerned about the settlement accounting and on March 1, 2007, retained new counsel who
wrote a demand letter to Defendant Macaluso on April 6, 2007, that, in part, terminated Defendant
Macaluso as their attorney. (Compi. ~~ 80-82; Campbell Deci. Re: Apr. 6,2007 Letter at 2; Am.
Compi. Ex. E.) Plaintiffs' new attorney continued to investigate potential claims against
Defendant Macaluso from early March 2007 to late June 2007. (Campbell Deci. Re: Apr. 6,
2007 Letter at 2-10.) Defendant Macaluso responded to this letter on May 2, 2007, and offered as
an "accommodation" to return certain amounts deducted for outside counsel and travel expenses
Page 11 - ORDER
to the east coast and Florida. (Kiefer DecI. Ex. 2; Campbell DecI. Re: Apr. 6,2007 Letter at 5-6.)


Plaintiffs on May 30, 2007, received a check for these expenses in the amount of$ 119,623.39.
(CompI. ~~ 84, 86; Campbell DecI. Re: Apr. 6,2007 Letter at 5-6.) Plaintiffs returned this check
to Defendant Macaluso on May 31,2007. (CompI. ~ 87; Campbell DecI. Re: Apr. 6,2007 Letter
at 8; Macaluso DecI. Ex. 1; Kiefer DecI. Ex. 4.)
Plaintiffs commenced this action by filing a verified complaint on May 27,2008. (Dk



Further, the court rules that even if the Agreement was not voided, the following
sums set forth in the "accounting" from Defendant Macaluso were not properly deducted:
a. Client advancements
b. Goldstein Isaacson, PC
c. Moore, Winter, Skebba &
McLennan, LLP
d. Waldt, Dean (bankruptcy attorney) $34,781.33
e. Washington, Nancy -local counsel NY $ 5,000.00
Defendants have acknowledged that the $20,000 client advancement and $5,000 fee to
Nancy Washington were incurred in other litigation and were inadvertently deducted from the
7 See separate scheduling order.
Page 21 - ORDER
Bechler Estate settlement. Defendants further admit the $983.40 paid to Nancy Isaacson was for
"associate counsel" and should not have been deducted from the settlement. The other amounts
are clearly covered by the Agreement provision which provides that, "Associate counsel may be
employed at the discretion of Attorneys at no additional expense to the Client." (Am. CompI. Ex.
A at 2 ~ 5.) The court does not find that Defendants have raised a genuine issue of material fact
by arguing without support that some of these expenses were for "experts" pursuant to the
following provision of the Agreement: "Attorneys may, in their discretion, employ ... experts
whose fees shall be chargeable as advanced costs." (Am. CompI. Ex. A at 2 ~ 5.) The court finds
on this record no ambiguity in the phrase "associate counsel" which clearly covers the law firm
charges at issue. Plaintiffs' motions for summary judgment on these grounds are granted.




So.................it would appear that the "issue" with TM was over fraudulent billing. Wonder if that relates to "where the $275k went" in KC's case. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

respectfully snipped....

The "accounting"
listed deductions taken from the $824, 920.80 check from attorney Carton. This included a 40%
attorney fee based on the final net amount expected to be received of $989,904.96, $78,438.04 in

Ususally attorneys get a 33% cut, I see TMac took 40%, is this the norm for California???

So.................it would appear that the "issue" with TM was over fraudulent billing. Wonder if that relates to "where the $275k went" in KC's case. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

LOL...He only gave ICA's team $70,000 the other $200,000 came from ABC...didn't it?? Oh, I get it, just reread that sentence..did Baez learn how to bill from TMac??? The public still hasn't learned where the entire $275,000 went to...they only told of the almost $90,000 Baez took and the $22,500 ALyon earned...took....received...JMHO

Now I wonder why attorneys choose to take a bigger take by fraudlent means. Don't they make enough with the cut they receive??? Greed will do you in each and every time...JMHO

Justice for Caylee

 

[Horace Finklestein]

I was so glad to see this degenerate, bizarre, angry man leave the circus. Now we have a whole new bunch though - don't know which is better...

 

[beach]

respectfully snipped....


Ususally attorneys get a 33% cut, I see TMac took 40%, is this the norm for California???



LOL...He only gave ICA's team $70,000 the other $200,000 came from ABC...didn't it?? Oh, I get it, just reread that sentence..did Baez learn how to bill from TMac??? The public still hasn't learned where the entire $275,000 went to...they only told of the almost $90,000 Baez took and the $22,500 ALyon earned...took....received...JMHO

Now I wonder why attorneys choose to take a bigger take by fraudlent means. Don't they make enough with the cut they receive??? Greed will do you in each and every time...JMHO

Justice for Caylee

Actually, 40% is not that unusual. It depends on the case. I am sure there was a contract signed when retained that included that amount.

In re. the bold: That still drives me mad that we never saw a detailed accounting. At the time, HHJS allowed him one more day to furnish the accounting and it was to have been made public. For whatever reason, HHJS obviously changed his mind and it was sealed after review in chambers.
I never have been able to figure it out.

 

[sleutherontheside]

http://apps.statebarcourt.ca.gov/calendar/detailview.aspx?y=8&id=30950



Date Time Event Venue Judge
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 10:00 AM Alternative Discipline Program Conferenc Telephonic LA Hon. Richard A. Platel
(Hearing Dept.)

A pre-trial meeting of attorneys where the parties discuss respondent's eligibility or participation in the State Bar Court's Alternative Discipline Program (ADP). This event is closed to the public.

 

[Melanie]

Or Casey accidently killed Caylee with xanax. After they get Casey off they sue the makers of xanax for 20 million dollars.

How freaky would that be?

But they can't have a do-over, that would kill their case. They have to stick with Zanny the Nanny, as that was what ICA copped to. I'll fall off my chair if JB says in his opening "you may have heard about Zanny the Nanny, but that isn't the case at all....(insert another made up story here)"

Can you imagine!

MOO

Mel

 

[Melanie]

http://wdbo.com/localnews/2010/04/casey-anthony-attorney-no-long.html

One of Casey Anthony's attorneys wants to be removed from the case after the State Bar of California took away his eligibility to practice law.

Todd Macaluso is best known for his claim in open court that the defense had evidence proving the remains of Anthony's daughter Caylee were put in the woods where they were found after Anthony was already in the Orange County jail. To date, the defense has not backed up that claim.

Macaluso has been under investigation by California's bar for months. On Monday, the bar issued an order making him an "inactive" member and unable to practice law. Wednesday, Macaluso filed a motion to withdraw from the Anthony case in Orange County court.

JB sure can pick em can't he. The dirtier the better!

 

[sleutherontheside]

WOW....uploaded 6 months ago.

JB picked some real winners for his team. There are no words.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1dlXRloeY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1dlXRloeY[/ame]

 

[logicalgirl]

WOW....uploaded 6 months ago.

JB picked some real winners for his team. There are no words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1dlXRloeY

Ack! My eyes! Can we say "rehab is this way, sir?"
Would you have this man represent you for anything? :floorlaugh:

 

[Soju]

Ack! My eyes! Can we say "rehab is this way, sir?"
Would you have this man represent you for anything? :floorlaugh:

Hey, at least he keeps his clothes on in this one.

 

[spqr]

Who knows how long his antics have been going on. If it wasnt for this case, we would probably have never heard anything about him. Or watched any of his oscar winning performances. Sometimes Karma is a *****.