| ► Attorney John Swartz of Phoenix; dishonest loser, repeater |
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Attorney John Swartz of Phoenix; dishonest loser, repeater
The state of Arizona presented John F. Swartz with a law license in 1954.
The Arizona State Bar found John guilty of the following misconduct.
John’s 1st bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree
In one matter, John represented a client on a contingency fee basis in a workman’s compensation and personal injury claims arising from a work-related accident.
Subsequently, John entered into negotiations with two insurance carriers, which agreed to pay the policy limits of $150,000. The industrial insurer, the state compensation funds, had a $90,000 lien on the recovery for past benefits it paid to John’s client. John took his agreed-upon fee of $50,000, paid $90,000 to the state compensation funds, and put the remaining $10,000 in a trust fund for payment of the client’s future medical expenses.
The net result of John’s actions was that the client received nothing. The court subsequently found that John had collected a shocking and clearly excessive fee considering the complexity of the case and the time spent. John was later ordered to refund his client and the state the excessive portion of the attorney fee he paid to himself.
As a consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders of Attorney Misfits sitting on the Arizona Supreme Court punished John by gifting him with a complimentary 180-day suspension of his law license.
John’s 2nd bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree
In one matter, John was a co-investor, along with a number of other parties, in a cattle ranch. John acted as attorney-in-fact for his fellow investors in the sale of the ranch.
John breached his fiduciary duty to his co-investors by failed to disclose certain facts to some investors concerning the change in status of certain commission money paid from the sale, which was placed under John’s control
As a consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders of Attorney Misfits sitting on the Arizona Supreme Court punished John by gifting him with a complimentary censure.
As we speak (ca. May 2013) John practices at 2402 East Esplanade Court Lane in Phoenix, Arizona.
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