Posted on 06/19/2004 2:57:07 PM PDT by neutrino
The legal community has suffered a black eye at the hands of lawyer Ted Roberts.
Using an unorthodox legal tactic, Roberts threatened to expose the indiscretions of several of his wife Mary's lovers by notifying them of his intent to explore whether he had grounds to sue them.
The Express-News exposed the situation earlier this week. Ted Roberts' actions became part of a case that entered the court system when he was sued by former law partner Robert V. West III, but those records were sealed in March 2002 by a district judge.
Some of the men met Mary Roberts through the Internet. In addition to being Ted Roberts' wife, she also is his law partner.
After the men became sexually involved with Mary Roberts, her husband sent documents to them announcing plans to seek judicial permission to explore the details surrounding their involvement with his wife and laying out settlement terms.
In one document detailed by the Express-News, Ted Roberts informed the defendant that he possibly needed to question the man's business associates and his wife.
Several men settled before actual lawsuits were filed, and court transcripts obtained by the newspaper indicated that Ted Roberts was paid at least $75,000 and possibly as much as $155,000.
Legal experts told reporters that the tactic was legal and within the bounds of accepted professional ethics for lawyers.
If that's the case, accepted legal ethics go far outside the bounds of reasonable behavior in society at large. Roberts' tactics were absolutely outrageous.
Although the incidents occurred in 2001, the newspaper reported that the State Bar of Texas has taken no public action against Ted Roberts.
This situation is a cry for a better method of self-policing in the legal community. We don't believe most lawyers would participate in such activities, but if this behavior is acceptable for lawyers, the whole profession suffers.
The secrecy surrounding the case also is disturbing.
A second district judge overturned the original decision to seal the related court files, but the 4th Court of Appeals sided with the first judge. The Texas Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the Express-News.
An open court system protects the public by giving average citizens access to important information about lawyers and others who they might do business with. Sealing this case smacks of the legal community protecting its own to the detriment of the public.
Yeah - after she placed ads such as this (published in the print version of the Express News)
"Professional woman enjoys travel, music, massages..."
You get the idea. If it were performed on a street corner, it would be regarded as prostitution.
And little Mary Roberts is an attorney too.
My, my.
That's not the bad part. The bad part is that the courts kept the records sealed. Which says a lot about the courts, now, doesn't it?
"The bad part is that the courts kept the records sealed."
Yeah, it also seems kind of bad that this is legal and even ethical, according to the piece. Did she actually have sex with these guys? If so I can't imagine why these two have not been disbarred. On what grounds? On the grounds of being a whore and a whore monger.
I'm sorry I'm naive, but I don't think the article was clear. Was she in on this too? If so, it's a con and not legal.
Oh, yes, she was in on it. She placed the ads. She dated the guys. She typed the letters her husband sent.
Was it a con? I think so. But the bar association doesn't care - no action has been taken. The courts tried to protect them - the courts sealed the records.
Here's a quote from the print version: "Mary Roberts aided her husband as he confronted her former lovers - typing, according to the transcript, parts of the documents that named her and her paramours as potential defendants."
Is that enough involvement?
Another reason why, after 40 years in the legal "profession," I got the hell out.
Theres no such thing..
My, you are a quick learner. I've been in it only thirty years. I'd guess there is an excellent chance I will get out, one way or the other, before 40 years gets here. Are you enjoying retirement?
Lawyers will be lawyers - trash all! clinton comes to mind as one of the higher class of sluts that is the 'legal communisty' - the rest are traitorous left-wing radicals or simply oridinary criminals.
The worst become judges and members of the 9th circus court.
The dumbest become politicians
"Legal experts told reporters that the tactic was legal and within the bounds of accepted professional ethics for lawyers".
"There's no such thing."
Why? There IS, and this case is as good an example as any
I highly recommend that more lawyers do this immediately! Maybe it will change the path many of our leaders are taking--in essence, stir Sodom and Gomorrah up!
Sounds like an open marriage extortion scheme
Induce someone into questionable activities then blackmail them.
They're playing a dangerous game. Somebody will decide it's easier to eliminate the threat than it is to pay blackmail.
If anyone but a lawyer was doing this with letters threatening to expose an adulter (instead of threatening legal interrogatories of their bosses)it would be called a "badger game" and the bunco squad would take care of it.
Truly.
Ted and Mary each gave $1,000 to Gore, per the FEC. Just search under the names, and limit the search to Texas.
I got out after 12 years in the profession, and what a relief!
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