CITIZENS: Beware of unethical judges

Unethical judges in Kootenai County? Say it isn’t so. I wouldn’t have thought it until I was “involved” in a civil case.  

One individual brings a civil case again another in the amount of approximately $25K. Evidence and expert testimony properly submitted was ignored by the judge and judgment was found for the plaintiff.  

What was really a surprise is that the judge awarded approximately $150K in attorney’s fees! Who in their right mind would actually pay their attorneys $150K in attorney’s fees to collect a supposed debt of $25K?  

In my opinion, the only reason attorney’s fees in this outrageous amount would be submitted to the judge is if the “fix” were in, the plaintiff never paid his attorneys these fees and this was just another way to “steal” money from the defendant in the case.  

Apparently, there are fees that can be awarded and those that are not allowable. Somehow, fees that were NOT allowable were awarded to the plaintiff.  

A review was requested in this case and a different judge, surprisingly, refused to review it. Was this case not reviewed because of who the original judge was?  

What is going on in Kootenai County? Does it depend on who you know or who your attorneys know, not the law? Are there unbiased and ethical judges in Kootenai County?

So, citizens of Kootenai County, if you are sued and the plaintiff’s attorneys are part of the “in crowd,” you might as well just pay up and kiss justice goodbye!

LAGONDA McDONALD, S.B.

Coeur d’Alene