Have you ever wondered what would happen if some of our Above the Law commenters had one of their classic diatribes in open court? I do.
I don’t know if Raphael Scotto posts anonymous comments on ATL. But it wouldn’t shock me if he does. The New York Post reports:
A defense lawyer was fined $2,500 and barred from city administrative court after throwing tantrums and cracking fat jokes about an overweight prosecutor during a sexual-harassment hearing. …
He even made wisecracks about portly prosecutor Victor Muallem.
When Muallem squeezed between two desks, Scotto joked, “Tough fit, there, huh?”
Actually, I’m not being fair. ATL commenters are much more funny:
AI Is Reshaping Legal Practice—But Tools Aren’t The Real Differentiator.
Explore the mindset, cultural shifts, and training strategies that define the AI‑savvy lawyer, revealing why human judgment, standardized competence, and integrated learning—not technology alone—will shape the future of the profession.
Elie – When you first read the phrase “friable issue of fact” did you get hungry?
But maybe Scotto doesn’t have a lot of experience making fat jokes. Apparently that is not his go-to move.
Everybody needs a signature move, and Scotto apparently has one:
Raphael Scotto, 62, screamed at a city administrative judge, abused witnesses and, when handed a subpoena, crumpled it and tossed it in the trash, according to a court ruling issued last month.
“This dramatic use of the trash bin to signify his scorn would become a signature move for him,” Judge Joan Salzman wrote.
Learning After Law School
Once you’ve got your law degree, how do you keep your professional skills up to date? Share your perspective in this brief survey, and you may be eligible to win a $250 gift card.
Yes! And it counts!
I wonder how often Scotto uses this trick? Does he go up and grab the prosecution’s exhibits, squish them, and then unleash a high arcing jumper towards the trash can? Or is he more of a Shaq-like dunk master — crumpling up motions to dismiss and Rule 11 sanctions and ferociously powering them down into the garbage?
Frankly, we need more lawyers who act like frustrated NBA players.
Joke’s on fat-crack attorney [New York Post]