Page 53 of Precise Justice

“Go to hell,” Priscilla snarled.

Priscilla’s lawyer, bringing up the rear behind Priscilla, having heard the exchange, tried not to laugh.

“You must be Marc Kadella,” the woman said to Marc with an outstretched hand.

“I must be,” Marc replied.

She was barely five feet tall and heavyset. Her hair was a grayish brown, wearing a pair of cheaters on a chain around her neck. They shook hands then Marc continued to hold the door for Connie and Hyam Seymour.

The three member hearing panel was already present. The panel was made up of two lawyers and one non-lawyer layman. The purpose is to determine if there is probable cause for public discipline. If probable cause is found, the panel petitions the Minnesota Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court then assigns a district court judge to act as referee and conduct a trial. The referee then issues findings to the Supreme Court along with a recommendation for discipline.

“She’s an attorney malpractice lawyer,” Professor Seymour whispered to both Marc and Connie.

“She wants to get a finding here in favor of Priscilla so she can sue me,” Marc whispered back.

“Exactly,” Seymour replied.

“What’s her name?” Connie asked.

“Naomi Rubin, and she’s good at what she does,” Hyam replied.

The court reporter indicated she was ready and the proceedings began.

The panel was made up of two women and one man. One of the women, Gwen Oster, was the nonlawyer. The other woman by her name plate was Melissa Lundquist. She was also the chairperson. The third was a man, a lawyer whose name was George Taylor. George was the married man for whom Connie was a previous paramour.

“Okay, let’s get started,” Lundquist said. “Beginning with the complainant, please give your name, spelling your last name for the record.”

Priscilla started off and when they were done giving their names, Lundquist started again.

“To be sure we understand this,” she said looking at Priscilla and her lawyer, “you are the mother of Mr. Kadella’s client. Is that correct, Mrs. Craig-Powell?

“Yes, that’s correct,” Priscilla’s lawyer answered for her.

“And your daughter, Roberta Craig-Powell, is going through gender transformation from male to female?”

“She has completed the process including the surgery,” Rubin again answered for Priscilla.

“Your former son, now daughter, Roberta, where is she today?”

“She is sick, your Honor,” Priscilla said. “It was my decision, as her mother, that she stay home.”

“We are not judges. There is no need to use your Honor. Our names are in front of us,” Lundquist said pointing at the name plates.

“George, go ahead.”

“Your primary complaints are twofold. Mr. Kadella, in the course of representing Roberta, acted in a manner that was detrimental to his client during a criminal defense of your daughter…”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Priscilla said.

“…and afterward tried to solicit your daughter for a medical malpractice lawsuit related to her transgender surgery. And he also tried to convince her to sue you personally. In fact, you claim he continually harassed Roberta after she turned him down and after you insisted that he leave her alone.”

“Yes, that is also true,” Priscilla said.

“Starting with the criminal assault case,” George continued, “I’m a little confused. According to the rebuttal that Mr. Kadella presented, he convinced the court and county attorney that it was a clear case of self-defense. They, the court and county attorney, agreed to dismiss and expunge the charges which occurred at the first appearance. It sounds like Mr. Kadella did an excellent job on the criminal case.

“Again, according to the Respondent, your complaint seems to be he acted as your daughter’s lawyer and refused to make you, Mrs. Craig-Powell, part of the defense team. Ms. Rubin, bearing in mind that we have read your complaint, and don’t need it restated, if you have something to add, go ahead.”

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