Trial Attorney Raises the Bar for Ethics and Professionalism

Orange County, CA (PRWEB) December 24, 2010

Trial attorney receives praise from an Orange County Judge for advocacy, professionalism and ethics in courtroom with a win involving a case of alleged taking of business equipment.

Notwithstanding a recent Galloup Poll that shows only 17% of the American Public believes lawyers have high ethical standards, an Orange County Judge's remarks about a local Orange County attorney may shed some hope on the subject; at least with regard to one courtroom.

Judge James DiCeasar said of Orange County attorney Douglas Pettibone "It's really been a pleasure to have you in our courtroom. You have done a very good job, very professional, very kind. You have a lot to be proud of for your conduct and the way you act in a court. And I want to thank you for that,"(Reporter's Public Transcript page 486 lines 7-12).

In what appeared to be a run of the mill case involving the ownership rights to a chain of laundry equipment after the purchaser of the equipment defaulted on his promise to pay, the case became one that raised the bar ever so slightly for the legal profession (LaGrave vs. SLK Investments, LLC. Orange County Superior Court Case No: 30-2008 00116317).

Pettibone, who was called upon at the last minute to try the case represented the widow of a client who sold a laundry chain. The Defendant in the case stopped making payments and according to Pettibone sold all the equipment and pocketed the money for himself. The equipment was secured by an agreement and a recorded UCC-1 document which made any sale without the original owner's permission unlawful.

After the judge made the comments he awarded judgment in favor of Pettibone's client and against the defendant. Expert testimony at trial valued the equipment at $134,000.00.

"Some clients want an obnoxious attorney who can manipulate the legal system without any concern for right or wrong," Pettibone said. "It seems generally we don't get to represent clients like that or maybe as it turns out they don't seem to want us to represent them. Either way it seems to work out."

Pettibone's point is supported by Rules of Professional Conduct which provides: A lawyer must "employ…those means only as are consistent with truth, and never to seek to mislead the judge…by an artifice or false statement of fact or law," Bus. & Prof.C. § 6068(d).

In a time the legal system is under attack and the target of public's ridicule and distrust at least in one courtroom the percentage of trust and confidence by a judge in one attorney were raised and praised.

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