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Lawyer of the Day, People's Choice: Beth Modica

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For Monday’s Lawyer of the Day, we faced an embarrassment of riches — of embarrassment. So we nominated a quintet of contenders: a North Carolina lawyer caught reading Maxim in court, a former prosecutor who allegedly had sex with two teenage boys, an AUSA arrested on DUI charges, a Canadian lawyer/politician who allegedly overbilled an order of nuns, and a Chicago lawyer who keyed a Marine’s car. Then we had you vote on who should take the honors.
Participation was enthusiastic, with almost 1,300 votes cast. Two contenders emerged early in the voting: Beth Modica, the allegedly predatory prosecutrix, and Jay Grodner, who pleaded guilty to keying the Marine’s vehicle. Competition was fierce. But in the end, Mrs. Modica came out on top.
So congratulations, Beth Modica. You take the prize as Monday’s Lawyer of the Day!
Read more about her alleged misadventures, after the jump.


In preparing our initial capsule summaries of the contestants, we kept it brief. But since Beth Modica is our winner, she deserves to have more ink spilled about her. From WSFB.com:

A former suburban prosecutor and PTA president had sex with two underage boys, joined many other teens in booze and pot parties and kept it all a secret from her police chief husband, officials said Tuesday.

Wonders one commenter: “So if she had informed her police chief husband, it all would have been okay?”

Beth Modica, 44, was indicted on 35 counts alleging statutory rape, criminal sex acts, sex abuse and endangering children. Wearing an olive-gray suit and handcuffs, she pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Rockland County Court and was ordered held on $75,000 bail.

We like the fashion reporting in the article (“an olive-gray suit”). Are handcuffs this season’s must-have accessory?

District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Modica had intercourse and oral sex with a 16-year-old boy and oral sex with a 15-year-old boy last summer, and on several occasions served and shared alcohol and marijuana with “many” other teens from Suffern High School at her Sloatsburg home or in her car.

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Party at Mrs. Modica’s house! As one commenter noted, “Give it up to her for being smart enough to know that if you give teenage boys enough booze and pot they will tap anything.”

Beth Modica’s lawyer, Gerard Damiani, said the couple, who had lived in Sloatsburg, had separated. He said she is living with her mother, who was in court but did not comment.

Not terribly surprising. Being accused of sleeping with teenage boys probably doesn’t do wonders for your marriage.

Paul Modica’s lawyer, John Edwards, said, “Paul’s sole interest at this point is protecting his children. … He’s trying to make sure the kids are impacted as little as possible.”

Edwards also added: “I am the son of a mill worker. And I will FIGHT for Paul and his children!”

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If convicted of rape or criminal sex acts, Beth Modica would face 16 months to four years in prison.

Arguing that his client should be freed without bail, Damiani said, “Her character has never been questioned except for these allegations.” He said she was in good standing with the state bar association.

And she was current with her CLE, too. Including those pesky Ethics credits — ’cause sleeping with teenage boys is okay, as long as they’re not your clients.
Earlier: Lawyer of the Day: People’s Choice

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