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Irish Times
41 minutes ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Warring couple's estimated €500,000 ‘high-conflict' litigation costs is ‘cautionary tale', warns judge
A warring couple's 'high conflict' proceedings involving estimated legal costs of about €500,000 are 'a cautionary tale' about the price of family law litigation, a High Court judge has said. The €1.1 million value of the remaining assets of the marriage of less than five years puts the scale of the legal costs 'in context', Mr Justice John Jordan said. He made the comments when upholding the man's appeal against certain Circuit Court orders made in divorce proceedings. Orders requiring the man to pay the woman a €150,100 lump sum for spousal maintenance, €173,500 to achieve pension equalisation and €61,500 towards her legal fees were described as 'punitive' by Mr Justice Jordan. READ MORE It was a short marriage with few matrimonial assets generated during its existence, the judge said. Taking this into account, and that inheritances accounted for much of the husband's assets, the woman should have about 25 per cent of the available assets, meaning a total lump sum of €275,000, plus payment of her health insurance, the judge ruled. The man has valuable pensions, while the woman's are of nominal value, but that must be viewed in the context of the marriage's short duration, he said. The man has a reasonably good salary and, while the woman earns significantly less, her part-time earnings are reasonable and likely to increase, he said. The Circuit Court failed to properly take into account the man will separately pay €1,100 monthly maintenance, plus some other costs, for their child and had put €56,000 in a trust fund for the child, the judge noted. He set aside a safety order the Circuit Court granted to the woman against the man. He found she had not pressed that court for it and there was a lack of evidence of any violence, or threats of violence by the man. 'Simply to set necessary lines of demarcation,' the judge said he would make orders restraining the man from entering the woman's property. The dispute between the man and woman has been before the District Court, Circuit Court and High Court, he said. The woman initiated judicial separation proceedings and there were other proceedings related to access and custody. He was satisfied both sides contributed to the disagreements and the 'high conflict' nature of the litigation. To their mutual credit, against a 'difficult backdrop' and medical issues, their young child is doing well, the judge said. A summary of legal costs indicated the woman's costs were about €258,000, of which €44,000 was paid, while the man's were €212,000, most of which have been paid. He estimated accountants' fees at €20,000-€30,000. Both sides must negotiate their own fee payments, the judge said. Hers are likely to be much less than the 'aspirational' €258,000 referred to, he believed. It seemed the woman would probably have qualified for legal aid but she decided not to apply, apparently in the belief the service would have been inferior to that of private lawyers, the judge said. There was 'no reason' to doubt the quality of the legal aid service and nothing to suggest there would have been any greater delays if she was represented by the Legal Aid Board, he said. Her decision not to seek legal aid was 'somewhat irresponsible' when she clearly could not afford private representation and the total resources of the marriage 'were not great', he said. Considering this factor, alongside other reasons, the judge set aside an order requiring the man to pay €61,000 towards her legal fees.
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Ex-Hialeah police chief bonds out, tells judge not guilty in public corruption caper
A tentative date was set for the public corruption trial of a former Hialeah police chief accused of abusing his position to steal hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars and confiscated drug money. Sergio Velazquez, whose nine-year term atop the city's police department was marred by a highly publicized sex scandal, was taken into custody by law enforcement just after driving away from his home Monday. He was charged with money laundering, grand theft and organized fraud. READ MORE: Ex-Hialeah police chief busted for stealing almost $600k from city coffers, state says The scheme, investigators said, involved the former chief depositing dozens of checks for just under $10,000 that were ordered from the city's finance department, into personal accounts controlled by him. They say he used the money to pay off credit card debt and purchase high-end Rolex watches and goods from Gucci and Versace. Velazquez, 61, wearing a red jail outfit and handcuffed, briefly appeared on Zoom before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer Tuesday morning and was released on a $30,000 bond that was posted by his wife. In an unusual move, he was quickly arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges. 'We enter a plea of not guilty on all three counts,' Velazquez's attorney Richard Diaz said during the hearing. Tentative trial date The plea was formalized before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Zachary James on Wednesday morning and the judge set a tentative trial date of Sept. 8. State prosecutors usually take close to the three-week window permitted before filing formal charges and hearing a defendant's plea. Investigators say the thefts charged against Velazquez took place between May and November 2021 and totaled about $600,00. In total, close to $3.2 million in city money dating back to 2015 hasn't been accounted for and that additional charges could follow, the investigators said. The missing money controlled by Velazquez was supposed to go toward undercover narcotics operations. Investigators say it's a combination of money budgeted to the police department for special operations — which comes from the city's general fund — and money awarded to the city through a court order that was confiscated mostly during drug stings. Probe began shortly after 2021 dismissal Velazquez, who became chief in 2012, was relieved of duty by the city's new Mayor Esteban Bovo shortly after his November 2021 election victory. He was replaced by deputy chief George Fuente, whom investigators credited with helping FDLE and state prosecutors put the case together. His term as chief of Miami-Dade's second-largest city was marred by charges levied against Sgt. Jesus Menocal Jr., who eventually pleaded guilty and served a three-year sentence for using his badge to force women into having sex with him. Velazquez was heavily criticized for being too lenient with Menocal Jr. in that case and in one years earlier in which four women — one underage — accused Menocal Jr. of sexual assault. Velazquez rose through the ranks despite a slew of allegations against him that were never substantiated. FDLE once spent 18 months looking into what they called 'a pattern of criminal misconduct.' One of the cases involved the torching of a truck owned by a man who's ex-girlfriend had been dating Velazquez.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Anne Arundel register of wills appeals theft conviction
Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold. (Photo courtesy Former Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold is appealing her May shoplifting conviction, according to court documents. Griswold, 50, remains free on a $300 bond after appealing her conviction to the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County. No hearing date has been set. Griswold was arrested in March for attempting to leave a Severn-area Walmart with more than $160 in sheets and curtains, according to a police report filed with the court. Prosecutors in May told a judge during a bench trial that while using a self-service checkout area at the store, Griswold failed to ring up some items and used a tag from a lower-priced item to make it appear as if she was ringing up others, citing video from the store that appeared to support the accounts of police and a store security employee. A defense attorney described Griswold's checkout as 'chaotic.' The attorney said Griswold at times scanned items and placed them on all sides of the register and on the floor. Her attorney argued some were placed in a second empty cart provided by a store employee who was, at times, attempting to assist Griswold. CONTACT US During her own testimony, Griswold claimed she was rushing out of the store because of a call about an uncle who had just been admitted to the hospital. Under cross-examination, she told prosecutors that the call came just as she arrived at the self-checkout lane. Video of the area did not show a phone call. Neither Griswold nor her attorney offered evidence of a call or a hospital admission. Anne Arundel District Court Judge Shaem Spencer rejected Griswold's explanation. As he watched a 21-minute store surveillance video showing Griswold completing four separate transactions, Spencer described in open court what he saw — Griswold scanning items the judge said he believed were lower cost. He said Griswold 'concealed' other unscanned items or moved more expensive items into her cart. Spencer sentenced Griswold to six months in jail, but suspended that sentence and tacked on 3 years of supervised probation. Griswold was already serving a sentence of unsupervised probation stemming from a June 2024 guilty plea to misconduct in office, after she was charged with stealing $6,600 in estate taxes paid to her office when she served as Anne Arundel County register of wills. As a result of the plea, Griswold was forced out of office. She was sentenced to 18 months in jail. The judge suspended that sentence and ordered Griswold to serve two years of supervised probation. If her latest conviction stands, Griswold could face potential repercussions for violating her probation in the first case. No hearing has been set for a new trial for Griswold in the shoplifting case. A conference before a judge is scheduled for July.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Crawford County librarian sues county for defamation, breach of contract
CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. – Crawford County is facing an additional lawsuit related to its library policy. A lawyer for former Crawford County Library System director Deidre Grzymala filed suit in Washington County Circuit Court last Friday on her behalf. The former librarian is alleging defamation and breach of contract. Grzymala lives in Washington County. Judge blocks Arkansas law allowing librarians to be criminally charged over 'harmful' materials Arkansas and Crawford County were ordered, alongside Crawford County Judge Chris Keith and 11 Arkansas prosecuting attorneys, to pay $435,275 in attorney's fees in an April federal court ruling. At issue was Arkansas Act 372 of 2023, which amended Arkansas law for endangering the welfare of a minor to include sexual material and remove protection for library employees, which the court struck down on Constitutional grounds. Crawford County's share of the fees was $112,978.31, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Grzymala was placed under emotional duress by the quorum court and Tamara Hamby to pressure the county and library to censor books. Federal judicial ruling overturns parts of Arkansas library obscenity law Hamby is named alongside the county and John Does 1 through 5 as defendants in the suit. In November 2022, the suit states that Hamby and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Hamby, co-authored a letter to the quorum court, which stated that Grzymala was 'amenable to negotiating' regarding the location of the books. This was not the case, the suit states, but instead, 'Plaintiff Grzymala was being actively pressured by defendant [Tamara] Hamby and Crawford County elected officials to reach a compromise with the relocation of certain books.' The suit continues that the pressure included threats to defund the library, and later, the county attorney described the negotiations as ultimatums. Against the threat of defunding the books, they were moved, and Grzymala was then pressured to accept a severance package in January 2023 or face termination, according to the suit. The package included a letter of recommendation from County Judge Christopher Keith, along with a non-disparagement agreement. Arkansas, Crawford County, others ordered to pay over $400,000 in library lawsuit The suit alleges that the non-disparagement agreement was violated by quorum court members and county officials who publicly blamed Grzymala for the county's facing and losing the April judgment. It also states that a local newspaper reported that in April, Teresa Hamby called Grzymala a liar during a meeting of the Crawford County Library System board. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Former county councillor to be sentenced for assault and attack on van during family dispute
A FORMER DONEGAL County Councillor is to be sentenced after admitting assaulting a man and damaging his van. Gareth Reid appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to the charges which arose out of a family dispute over land. The former Fine Gael councillor admitted the charges which occurred following an incident at Knockfair, Stranorlar, in May 2021. The 42-year-old was charged with assaulting Paul McCool and causing him harm, the charge being contrary to section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Reid, of Lawnsdale, Stranorlar, was also charged with an act of criminal damage. Advertisement He was charged that he did, without lawful exact, damage property, namely the driver's side of a Peugeot Partner van belonging to Paul McCool, a charge contrary to section 2 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. He spoke only to plead guilty to the charges when he appeared before Judge John Aylmer. His barrister, Mr Peter Nolan BL, told the court that Reid has previous convictions 'going back some time'. Mr Nolan said that there is a 'very involved family history in this matter'. He told Judge Aylmer that the matter is also before the High Court over 'lands, wills et cetera' and the court should be informed about these matters. Judge Aylmer requested a probation report and asked that it include an assessment on Reid's suitability for community service. In September 2008, Reid was co-opted onto Donegal County Council, taking the seat of his grandfather, JJ Reid, following his retirement from politics but failed to be re-elected to the Council the following year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
