Rogue One

  • Law

  • Could the Legislature do away with Nevada’s death penalty this spring? [Las Vegas Sun]
  • Are the City and County close to an annexation agreement? [RJ]
  • Linda Graham says she filed for divorce from Robert Graham. [News3LV]
  • For the first time, women now make up the majority of US law students. [NY Times]
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 6:49 pm

Sham divorce to look (at least on paper) that they are divesting their interests

anonymous
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anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:02 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I tend to agree.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:08 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Disagree. There are more marriages than you realize where one partner maintains information asymmetry as to the finances. Usually, it's the male. If RG had no problem ripping of beneficiaries of special needs trusts, surely he wouldn't blink an eye at lying to his wife.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:09 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Don't must men handle finances, usually not always, in a LDS household?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:38 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I make (almost) all the money but I don't handle the finances is my (jack?) Mormon household. Keeps me from ripping of trust beneficiaries.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:39 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

^ off

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:43 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

2:09,

No. I am LDS and my wife and I do our personal finances every Sunday afternoon. We pay bills, review accounting software and set budgets together. I think this is pretty typical of most LDS households. Religion aside, it's basically impossible to have and follow a budget if both spouses aren't actively involved in managing the finances.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 11:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I'm LDS and my wife handles all the finances. If we got divorced it would be super simple since she knows where every last dime goes. I know several other LDS attorneys who have the same arrangement. To each his/her own.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 22, 2016 10:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Our family lost 460 thousand to Graham, right about the time he bought his new
house in St George Colorado. 4000 sq ft for 960,000 dollars. I'm sure he used the
funds from our trust. We fought him or 3.5 years, It seemed like the bar, the judge,
all where for him. Now his wife is trying to run with the money.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 10, 2017 6:24 am
Reply to  Anonymous

I'd bet a house in St George Colorado would be a steal at 960,000 dollars. And what is the wife running for? City Council?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:02 pm

Yep – have to agree. This isn't just a matter of irreconcilable differences – how convenient that there is a divorce filing, a marital home for sale, and then the abrupt shuttering of the 20 year law practice wherein they are both mutual partners. Coincidence?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:13 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Not only a marital home – but a home that's in Linda's name only.

How conveeeeeeeenient!!!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:10 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Um, let's see the lucky fool is who gets this divorce case? Here or in Colorado?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:04 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

They were domiciled in Colorado. So there.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:22 pm

That News3 interview, in my view, is going to make people despise Graham and his actions to an even greater extent(if that is even possible).Unlike the initial interview of a week or so ago, wherein he at least expressed some semblance of remorse, he now sounds highly indignant and accusatory, with none of his remarks even hinting at his own personal responsibility. He blames some supposed hideous-type phantom individual, apparently a former client or someone he had financial dealings with, and that such individual has "blood on his hands" and is responsible for most or all of this mess. He offers no details. He only offers the ludicrous, sweeping conclusion that such boogey man is responsible for this travesty. He then turns on the State Bar for supposedly acting too soon. This logic is perplexing to say the least. He apparently wanted free reign to further compound this financial nightmare involving staggering amounts of client funds. He seems to act like it's all some witch hunt by the media, the public, the State Bar and others, and that if he had just been left totally alone to continue to handle the trust account in the manner he sees fit, that everything would have been alright in the end. The very odd way he seems to process and deal with self-created crisis which victimizes others, is that the first step of the therapeutic process he appropriately at least accepts some portion of the responsibility. We then wait for step two, which was hopefully to consist of accepting full responsibility, and creating a game plan to make matters right to the fullest extent possible. Instead, it seems that step two, in the Rob Graham school of working through crisis, is to lash out, now adopt a totally delusional approach, blame everyone else, and ask that the funds the State Bar was able to seize be released back to him. This is how the intense pressure of all this seems to be scuttling his brain and/or perhaps he was quite narcissistic to start with, despite his outward display of being an engaging guy who reportedly attempts to emanate a degree of piousness.

As far as the wife now divorcing him, we can certainly debate the credulity of her insisting that until her husband was essentially "caught", that she had zero knowledge of millions and millions of dollars apparently being siphoned off by her husband.
At any rate, if she sincerely wants to be divorced from him, and will accept whatever the financial repercussions, that is quite understandable. However, if any divorce lawyers and/or business lawyers, and/or taxation lawyers, told her the divorce would be a great way to insulate herself from a lot of her husband's alleged financial improprieties as to the partnership and the trust fund issues, that is an incredibly simplistic and myopic approach, and one doomed to a large degree of failure. The legal/financial issues are far more complex than that, and her disavowing knowledge of what occurred, and filing divorce, may help her to some degree, but it ignores the fact that they were partners. One is expected to know what is occurring as to the financial operations of a very profitable business of which they were one of the only two partners. Pleading ignorance only gets one so far. It may be a good approach to file the divorce and to disavow knowledge, but those who believe that is some far reaching panacea to insulate herself from most or all liability, fail to grasp the legal intricacies and complexities of these issues.

.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:39 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

This sounds like a rant only Graham could have written. Graham (mr and mrs) are f'd. They are going to end up in prison because of their greed. They have caused the suffering of numbers of people – while they vacationed in hawaii, and Europe over the years. Million dollar homes, with indoor swimming pools, lavish gifts, cars, etc. Karma – gonna be a major bitch in this one.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

You must not have really read the rant at 11:22. Seems you and the author of the rant are pretty much on the same page. How could you suggest that it looks like something Graham or his wife would write? Why on earth would they want to display themselves in such a negative, unflattering light?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:55 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Their million dollar home in Fort Collins is up for sale for $1.05M which is approximately $150K below Zillow's estimated FMV. With the involuntary bankruptcy underway it is possible to unlist the property from being sold? Note that the property is in Linda's name only.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 9:56 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

at 12:54 – I was only commenting as to the length (should have been more clear about that – sorry) kind of a jab at his 22 page affidavit wherein 11:22 went on and on (all of which I agreed with).

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:30 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Although 11:22 indeed could have been more concise, he/she is certainly correct that Graham is now taking an oddly aggressive stance, rather than a conciliatory one, and that Linda Graham is not going to be able to insulate herself from culpability merely by filing for a divorce and pleading ignorance.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 10, 2017 6:32 am
Reply to  Anonymous

12:55 can you post the MLS for his home? I see no active listing. Oh, and take a look at these photos of the house… could that kitchen be any smaller? That doesn't look like a million dollar home. https://www.trulia.com/homes/Colorado/Fort_Collins/sold/21259378-5803-Old-Legacy-Dr-Fort-Collins-CO-80528#photo-9

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 10, 2017 6:55 am
Reply to  Anonymous

House looks nice. Depending on the area that is easily a million dollar home.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:35 pm

Unrelated: Looks like the City of North Las Vegas is down to three candidates to fill the City Attorney position: Bradley Ballard, Brent Gunson and Micaela Moore. Any comments regarding these three?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:53 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

My comment is merely that none of them are generally well-known names in the legal community. I even question whether they are well-known names among the Criminal Law attorneys.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:21 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

The only attorney I know is Micaela. Corp. bk attorney. Really smart, and a very hard worker — puts in some serious time. Don't know the other two — just that Micaela would be a real asset to NLV.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 9:09 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I agree about Micaela. I'm not sure how her corporate bankruptcy experience will translate into being City Attorney, which I thought entailed a huge range of legal responsibilities, but I'd still vote for her.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:45 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I've worked with Brent Gunson in the past and think he would be an great choice. Lots of experience with local government law, various types of complex transactions and legislative issues. Not sure how strong he is on the criminal side – but it's basically all misdemeanors at the municipal level anyway.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Micaela can't be smart and a hard worker 'cause she's really hot. I'm pretty sure we've established that these are somehow incompatible traits.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:37 pm

Any information as to who Robs Graham's accountant was? I have my suspicion, were the same ones from the guardianship debacle?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 7:56 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Wes Purcell (OH and he's mormon).

anonymous
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anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:05 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

And his mother-in-law supposedly kept the books. Did she keep Linda in the dark as well?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

A family, wholesome operation, ribbing, I mean ripping people off. What judge will be hurting without Ribs' Graham's election contribution?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 8:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

MIL didn't keep the "books." She handled payroll and getting the billings out to clients. Payroll taxes were not paid – she was sweating bullets over that one. Linda was NOT in the dark. She F-ing knew everything!!! DAMN THE GRAHAMS! for making so many people suffer over their GREED! F*CK them. So sick over this!!!!! Toss 'em in with the hardened criminals!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:40 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Hey,12:35, don't you understand anything? Haven't you been following some of the bloggers over the last week? You're not supposed to care too much about all the victims whose lives are destroyed. You are supposed to moan and groan about how difficult this must be for Graham and his supposedly wonderfully pious family, and you should totally ignore the fact that the family presumably benefitted from the allegedly pilfered millions by a greatly enhanced lifestyle. You are supposed to engage in endless hand-wringing and pray that the family will bounce back, even though they will clearly bounce back a million times better than the victims ever will. You should seek to close the circle around the Grahams and give them great comfort in their hour of need.
Why are you having such difficulty in adopting the miss-placed priority system that seems second nature to some of the bloggers?

BTW, it's all getting worse. In the first interview of a week ago, he took some level of accountability. In the latest interview he blames a lot of it on some unidentified third party,
and is delusional enough to insist that the State Bar should return to him the trust funds they were able to seize.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 3:43 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Desperation and delusion are common bedfellows. What does he have to hold onto at this point? Nothing. Its all gone. Like most people riding the bomb all the way into the ground, like the gambler who has squandered it all but wants one more spin or hand at the table, Graham still believes at the final whistle that he can change the outcome, that he is so close to making it OK. Delusional implies mental illness. He realizes in the recesses of his head that it is over and is not ending on his terms any longer. He forfeited that right.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 4:31 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Why is his own family not a victim. It is not a competition on who is a bigger victim. His family and clients got screwed. I feel bad for both. It must suck knowing your father lied all your life and is a thief. It must also suck to have your client steal your money. Both victims will suffer in their own way and that is sad.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 4:39 am
Reply to  Anonymous

His family got screwed? Where is the evidence of that? It must suck knowing your father lied all your life and is a thief, except when you are blotting your tears in the million dollar house that your father's actions are alleged to have purchased on the high thread count sheets that were purchased supposedly with stolen money.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 3:51 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

8:39 you are under the mistaken belief that money = happiness. Would you give your fathers life up for 2 million? 10 million? do you think your children won't love you if you are broke? when you make real money one day in life you will learn money does not equal happiness.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 4:05 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Dr. Steven F. Kramer was the doctor for our last kid 8 years ago. Looks like he's still practicing.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 4:25 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

"when you make real money one day in life you will learn money does not equal happiness." One of life's great, cruel ironies. Money can cause misery, and it can help create the space for happiness (along with more important factors), but money can't make you happy.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:02 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Money also doesn't equal sadness. If I'm inclined to be happy anyway, I feel like having a large pile of money can only serve this interest.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@7:51– Reading comprehension. I never said money equals happiness. The question is whether his children have been "screwed". His children have benefited from a standard of living for which their family allegedly did not earn or deserve. That is not a "screwing" of his children. The point was that the path to comfort in these circumstances is much easier on pillows from pilfering than the cold hard ground that Graham's clients have been left to enjoy. If you told me that I could be miserable with a million dollars or miserable with zero dollars, I would choose the former.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 9:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I don't believe we can categorically say whether money does or does not provide happiness. Often, if people have deep rooted unhappiness or serious problems not really connected to finances, extra money may not help that much. Much of what plaques many people has little or nothing to do with money. On the other hand, millions of people struggle to even pay their monthly bills, and they often go through years, decades, or essentially their whole life with that kind of extreme stress, anxiety and misery. For many of those people, coming into a lot of money can solve a lot of problems(if the money is handled properly) and certainly reduces stress and anxiety, which often results in increased happiness. So, it all depends on the situation.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:07 pm

On an unrelated note, does anyone have obgyn recommendations? Thank you!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 10:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

And a urologist or plastic surgeon. My penis is too small.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:23 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Dr. Joseph A. Rojas,II, MD, Dr. Kirsten B. Rojas, MD. Also Dr. Lisa A. Roberts, MD…all in same practice, delivered our son and my wife who is a family practice physician has been going to them for years.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:31 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Second on 4:23's recommendations–all three are great.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:33 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Who better for your GYN than someone who knows their way around your rosa when its roja.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 1:11 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Thank you!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 11:46 pm

Congrats to Trump and your supporters. I pray to God this country does not destroyed as much as you and Russia want it to be. Electoral college, you are cowards!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 19, 2016 11:57 pm

I've heard that Barker and Walsh are retiring in January. Anyone know? Anyone else?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:10 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I think Walsh has been gone for awhile, but I don't know if she officially resigned. Anyone know the story?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 5:42 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Supposedly Walsh is having serious health issues combined with her just mailing it in. Once Jeri Winter retired (who really ran that Department with Matt Diamond), it was only a matter of time because she could not run it herself.

anonymous
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anonymous
December 20, 2016 6:57 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Walsh has her problems as a judge, but I always liked dealing with Jeri. If you needed to move a hearing or find out what was going on with a trial stack, all you had to do is get OC on the line and make a call. Not like some of these others where every damn thing requires an act of Congress.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:06 am

Barker is retiring.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 20, 2016 12:16 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Barker is retiring January 6th.