Joseph Stafford is one half of the dynamic duo known as the Stafford Brothers. He and his brother Vincent were the subject of a Scene cover story back in the day: Monsters of Misery Court. Yeah, they’re assholes, largely reviled as the biggest dicks in divorce court.
Mere douchebaggery wasn’t enough for these fellas, however. They were shady, too, breaking enough rules in the courtroom that the Ohio Supreme Court already ruled to suspend Vincent Stafford’s license for one year.
His brother will be joining him. The Court ruled today in a 7-0 decision to suspend the license of Joseph Stafford for twelve months. You can read a summary of the decision here, but it’s full of legalese and stuff. Here’s the quick and dirty explanation — easy on the eyes and the brain:
The court adopted the board’s conclusions that Stafford’s actions violated, among others, the state disciplinary rules that prohibit an attorney from engaging in conduct involving fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation; failing to disclose known material facts to a court in an ex parte proceeding, and making a statement that impugns the integrity of a judicial officer that the attorney knows to be false or with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity.
This article appears in Mar 7-13, 2012.
” fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation; failing to disclose known material facts to a court in an ex parte proceeding” Charges? I thought these were required classes in Law School.
They are a couple of real slime balls.
That scum bag deserves it and more. He has destroyed families all over cuyahoga. That sob needs a reality check. Scene says it right, assholes! I hope he loses a ton of money because of this and don’t worry all eyes will be on you Joe if you think you can still practice. The scum you are you think you have privileges and never have to abide by the law. I watched the supreme court hearing, that rocked! Should of been shown on tv. Your attorney blew this one…lol!
Yes, they got away with their underhanded dealings for so long in our poorly managed court system that they thought they could get away with anything. Thank you to the people that filed the complaint. It’s good that someone knocked those 2 down. Perhaps now our judges will not stand by and watch families be shattered and go broke so those 2 can make a fortune.
I hired Joseph stafford after 2 slimeball attorneys kept dragging out my case and overbilling me. Hiring Joseph stafford was the best thing I did in my divorce. The other lawyers hate him because he is really good. He put the opposing council to shame. I heard the opposing lawyer talking disparaging remarks about Joe in the hallway on her phone to her lawyer friends back at the office. Joe called her out for her remarks in front of the judge. You see, the other lawyers hate him. Despise him and mostly ENVY him. It’s obvious to me that he is a great lawyer. Mesmerizing in court. I’d hate to be on the opposite side of the table. He’s amazing as a lawyer. He doesn’t answer calls. That’s the worst thing about him. I think he probably has too many cases on the books. Too much paperwork and I think that rich guy who had to pay his ex so much money probably wanted to get his pound of flesh. Divorce is a miserable business. Terrible. Heartache. Joseph is basically the best if the lawyers….no offense to you lawyers but few of you are any better than Joe. Think of the cases where you have took a shortcut. Think of the bills you pad. Yeah! All lawyers want money. It’s a business. I paid Joe a lot of money and I got results. He is a great lawyer and i liked bus personality to. He was funny and sarcastic. I loved him in court. I think he’s really a great attorney. I think it stinks that people are so small to laugh at a man who’s livlihood is off line for an entire year. Other attorneys get over your jelousy. This man helped me survive and fought for me. So grow up. He has helped his clients. That’s his job. He has a great track record of doing hard cases….I don’t want a lawyer everyone likes. I want a hated despised guy…..like Joseph. He’s fantastic….by the way, I have seen him refuse me a request that wasn’t very ethical. So I call bull ov this whole witch hunt.
For all you idiots out there that still love the Staffords, read what the Supreme Court had to say about Joey. Do you get “dishonest, deceptive or disrespectful acts???? They specialize in all of those areas. Glad to hear he took all your money to!!!
In support of the court’s unanimous holding that an actual, rather than a stayed 12-month license suspension was the appropriate sanction for Stafford’s misconduct, Justice McGee Brown quoted from the court’s 1995 decision in Disciplinary Counsel v. Fowerbaugh.
She wrote: “Stafford’s six violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct stemmed from a course of conduct that was replete with dishonest, deceptive, and disrespectful acts. When an attorney engages in such conduct and violates Prof.Cond.R. 8.4(c), ‘the attorney will be actually suspended from the practice of law for an appropriate period of time. A lawyer who engages in a material misrepresentation to a court … violates, at a minimum, the lawyer’s oath of office that he or she will not “knowingly employ or countenance any … deception, falsehood, or fraud.” … Such conduct strikes at the very core of a lawyer’s relationship with the court and with the client. Respect for our profession is diminished with every deceitful act of a lawyer.’”