Lawyer of the Day: Dickie Scruggs
Yesterday the FBI executed a search warrant on the Scruggs Law Firm in Oxford, Mississippi — the shop of high-flying plaintiffs’ lawyer Dickie Scruggs. It wasn’t immediately clear what investigation the search was related to. Here’s some commentary on the situation that we enjoyed, from David Rossmiller (in brackets, following excerpt from news article):
“This is a surprise to everybody connected to the Scruggs Firm,” [lawyer Joey] Langston said, “but I’ve got to tell you people who are very high profile and very successful have to contend with unpleasantries and this is unpleasant, but we’ll contend with it.”[I like the touch of noblesse oblige here — as if the FBI descending on one’s place of business is the same as, say, getting heckled by drunken lumpenproletariat while showing up in top hat and tails to receive an award for charitable giving.]
Now we have a better idea of what the office search was probably about. From the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger:
Multimillionaire trial lawyer Dickie Scruggs has been indicted on charges of conspiring to bribe a judge in the case involving $26.5-million in attorney fees involving Katrina claims….According to the indictment, Lafayette County Circuit Judge Henry Lackey cooperated with the FBI in the investigation after reporting a bribery overture to authorities.
According to the indictment, Scruggs and others tried to influence Lackey by giving him $40,000 in cash to resolve the attorney fees’ dispute in favor of Scruggs’ law firm. Some of the conversations between Balducci and Lackey were captured on tape.
An interesting observation, from the WSJ Law Blog:
Down in Mississippi, there has been speculation of a connection between the FBI search warrant and this week’s surprise resignation of Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS), Scruggs’s brother-in-law. Lott’s office told the Sun Herald the two events were but a mere coincidence.
Because, you know, it’s so much better to have people think you stepped down because of a gay sex scandal, as opposed to your brother-in-law’s indictment.
(For the record, the rumors about Sen. Lott and the gay sex scandal appear to be unfounded. See HuffPo and Wonkette — two sites that would, of course, love for the rumors to be true.)
Scruggs arrested on bribery charges [Clarion-Ledger]
More on FBI search of Scruggs’ law offices [Insurance Coverage Law Blog]
Dickie Scruggs Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges [WSJ Law Blog]
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Comments
First!
First to Bribe, well second if you believe the indictment
7:20 - shut up.
First to Bribe, well second if you believe the indictment, and second to say first too, why I am always a loser ;)
Nice use of "lumpenproletariat" and "noblesse oblige. " I feel undereducated already.
Also nice use of "Scruggs."
"[I like the touch of noblesse oblige here -- as if the FBI descending on one's place of business is the same as, say, getting heckled by drunken lumpenproletariat while showing up in top hat and tails to receive an award for charitable giving.]"
F-ing brilliant, Lat. This is probably the best observation I have ever read. Genius.
"[I like the touch of noblesse oblige here -- as if the FBI descending on one's place of business is the same as, say, getting heckled by drunken lumpenproletariat while showing up in top hat and tails to receive an award for charitable giving.]"
F-ing brilliant, Lat. This is probably the best observation I have ever read. Genius.
That's not Lat's quote, it's David Rossmiller's.
(But yeah, it is a great observation.)
Why would you spend all the time and money to actually get through school and then pass the bar and enter into the drudgery of life only to get your kicks by going to law blogs all day with the hope of being FIRST!
Lat -- Don't smear Trent Lott. He is not a rich guy, and he is retiring now to take advantage of the window of time before the "cooling off" period for former legislators re: lobbying increases from 1 to 2 years, which will happen at the end of this session. Lott is going to finally cash in and make some money -- he has among the lowest net wealth of anyone in the Senate. Lott was planning to retire at the end of his last term, but when he lost his personal home to Katrina and saw the problems of his fellow Mississippians, he stayed around to use his influence to help funnel Katrina relief money to his State. His relative Mr. Scruggs is a scumbag, but that does not mean Lott has to share his burdens.
Dickie Scruggs to Prison and financial ruin!
That kind of backwards shit don't be'a happn over here in Alabama!
Because, you know, it's so much better to have people think you stepped down because of a gay sex scandal, as opposed to your brother-in-law's indictment.
Don't aim low. Why not both?
Lott= used car salesman.
Cumberland 3L: what, in 'bama, do your judges bribe your lawyers?
and yet another long night in the office with predictably no end in sight...gotta love BIGLAW..
Its 9:07 a.m. Do you know where your blog editor is?
I'm starting to get sick and tired of these "its 11 pm and i'm still at work with no end in sight" - you choose biglaw and the associated money and prestige, now don't whine when u have to work your a$$ off...
What kind of cheap-o offers a $40,000 bribe to resolve a dispute over $26.5 million in attorneys fees?!
The blogger for abovethelaw.com answered your query as to what sort of cheapo offers a $40,000 bribe to resolve a dispute over $26.5 million by asserting that the alleged payment was only for a ruling sending the matter to arbitration.
That seems much more incredible than a disprotionately cheap alleged bribe.
The question now is:
What sort of lawyer risks his career and freedom to bribe a judge with the goal of getting the judge to send the dispute to someone else to rule upon.
Huh??? Assuming the judge would accept the bribe, why would the attorneys want someone else to decide the case? That strains all logic.