Hey there! 🌟 We're eagerly awaiting the follow-up epilogue about what happened next. Your content keeps us hooked, and we can't wait to see the exciting developments. Keep up the great work! 👏📺
One of the key things you forgot to mention about why it's so important for lawyers to hire an attorney when they get sued is it makes their practice so much easier to manage during that time. If you had to represent yourself in court, you wouldn't have been able to make the trip up to Grand Rapids for your client. In addition, it doesn't hurt to have a second pair of eyes looking at a case, particularly one you're involved in when your frustration and anger may cause you to overlook things that an impartial attorney might have caught!
As a Landlord I have been sued 4 times. Each time I file an eviction the person would counter sue. They all have been thrown out. Even during COVID I filed an eviction for non-payment. The tenant sued me since I called there employer and got a document showing proof of employment, which I showed to the court. In the courts eyes if you have a job you have to pay the rent.
Great series... thanks for sharing. As for the lawyer who suggested that you could leave without testifying, I’ll admit to being a bit shocked by that. It seems way too close to witness tampering for my comfort.
It would be funny to see LPL put in jail for contempt without emptying his pockets, and then watch him open the cell door while telling how poor the lock is
I definitely learned a lot from this video series. By recouping attorney fees, he's cleaning the pool, getting rid of some bad lawyers, protecting what he loves, and getting good attorneys paid. What a beautiful system.
Joe Milosch They need to file a lien against Marvs tire property. When ha ever goes to sell it they can’t close the sale till he pays it off. With 6 or 7 liens it will take a good chunk off the sale price.
Steve, what happened to the epilog? I have family in the UP and ran accross your site a couple years ago following off and on. Thanks for the great stories. Love the mike collection by the way.
Steve Lehto "Anyone who wants to serve me can do so at my office" ME *Looks up the office address and has pepperoni pizza delivered, with the note, "You've been served"
I'm a retired California attorney and I really like your videos, Steve. They are always interesting and I'm subscribed. I knew that this case would be thrown out. The attorney who filed the case should be sanctioned for fees and costs.
Very glad to hear you are filing a grievance. The problem with frivolous lawsuits is that it is usually no loss for the lawyer of the client who files them. Usually neither the lawyer or the person bringing the frivolous lawsuit receive any punishment for their actions, while the people they sued have lost time, money, suffered stress, etc. I always thought that there should be strong penalties for filing frivolous lawsuits. It would warn off people trying to scam the system and reduce a lot of the crap filling the courts.
Generally if you tell an attorney, "It's not the money it's the principle," he will ridicule you. It's refreshing to hear an attorney who understands the concept.
I doubt most attorneys would ridicule you, I imagine most would dispassionately explain the situation to you. Most would probably commend you for your desire to take a principled stand but would emphasize the practical aspects, just as they should.
It was nice that Ed was a good sport about all of this...even though he did get paid to represent you. And he did get the case tossed out like you expected. Waiting to hear the epilogue from the Grievance.
Ed may have been in the video, but he probably couldn't stop laughing at just how crazy, *_Crazytown_* truly is - lol. This will be his anecdote, and a story he will tell his grandkids.
I know more than a few lawyers, and for the most part they hate going to court. They have better shit to do then spend their time waiting to see the judge.
Hi I just found you,,, love your stuff. You were talking about relationships with judges. I was very good friends with a judge (he has since passed). Well when I first met him (he was a classic Chevy collector probably 200 cars in his collection and I am a mechanic and I worked on his cars). One day I was test driving a car I had repaired, and I got pulled over for expired tags. The officer didn't care that it wasn't my car and gave me a ticket and a court date. I went before the judge (forgetting he was gone for that week) only to find a substitute judge, well that wasn't going to fly, so I plead not guilty so I could get another court date. The new court date arrives and I show up in court, the judge (my friend) calls me to the bench. and asked me "I see you got a ticket for expired tags I replied yes sir He asked were they expired? I replied yes sir. He asked so why did you plead not guilty? I replied because it wasn't my car. He asked well who's car was it? I replied yours". He banged his gavel and said guilty, got up and paid the bailiff.
Given how slowly these things can move in the best of times, combined with Covid slowing everything even more than usual, (Oh how innocent we all were in 2019) I would suspect its still somewhere out in legal limbo land.
Some years back I was Chair of a small charity offering free residential meditation courses. Someone signed up but was finding the course tough going, so after a chat with the teacher he decided to leave of his own free will. Some months later he sued us for not dissuading him from leaving, so he failed to benefit from the course. Essentially he was suing us for not imprisoning him. Naturally the Court dismissed it as a frivolous action. But the depressing thing was that he found a lawyer who was prepared to take on this absurd litigation. I'm surprised she didn't lose her licence...
Take some satisfaction from knowing that, in all likelihood, plaintiff’s counsel was getting paid contingently and that she probably spent dozens of hours interviewing her client and preparing a complaint without compensation, and now she’ll never see a dime. Also, don’t be so apologetic about filing a grievance against another attorney. The Michigan rules of professional conduct require you to do so when you become aware that another attorney has breached the rules. You’re just doing what you’re supposed to.
I’ve never been an attorney, but for 30 years I was in the car business. Lawyers and car salesmen are often grouped as opportunistic bottom feeders - when the reality is that we cannot stand the few bad ones that ruin the reputation of everyone. Yet year after year I met people who did not buy from me, but instead bought from someone who they already knew was crooked and dishonest because they had already been caught in a lie. A part of humanity is willing to support unethical car salesman and attorneys as long as they might financially benefit. A lot of customers and clients are willing to accept unethical behavior as long as it might put some money in their pocket.
Thanks Steve, I SO enjoyed this. I particularly enjoyed the final part where you nonchalantly state that you "had been thinking about it..." Given the amount involved I should imagine you would have been! :-) Looking forward to seeing the 'Epilogue' some time down the line. UK Law is never this much fun! Cheers, Kev
Outstanding! I've watched all your stuff and it's all great. I had something equivalent happen - a derelict condo renter filed assault and breaking/entering charges when I just walked away after I knocked and he never came to the door (trying to get rent payment). Got a lawyer, went to court, renter didn't show (had completely disappeared) and my attorney and I sauntered out. The best part for you now is you have the knowledge, power, ability and smarts to teach a lesson, punish somebody who well deserves it, and get restitution. I couldn't - I had to just eat the mortgage and the associated fees. Go nail this chick Steve!!
You haven't seen crazy town until you litigate in the LA Second Appellate District. The Superior Courts overrule the Court of Appeals, who in turn ignore their own case rulings, the jurisdictional requirements of the Code of Civil Procedure become aspirational, and the meanings of words are mauled beyond recognition.
I have been following this mini-thread of videos as recently I was listed as a defendant in a 'slip and fall' type case. I just was notified by my attorney yesterday that I have been removed from the list of defendants....but, they can always files against me in the future (says the attorney). What stinks is that I am now out several thousands of dollars as I had to hire an attorney, not to mention that now my professional liability insurance premium will certainly increase. I am told that I can not seek financial remedy to make myself whole from my edition of crazy town.
Something similar happened to my home owners association. Bike accident happened on an adjacent fire access road. Attorney sued 'all' adjoining communities. Turned out it road was not any of their properties so dropped from suit. Biggest problem: our HOA insurance basically doubled because we had been 'named' in a suit. Forever!!!
In my city, which gets actually cold in winter, there is a joke that says, "In our town, in winter, it gets so cold that lawyers have to actualy put their hands in their own pockets."
Had to mention, I love seeing the D104 microphone (6th from the left) I was involved in CB radio in the late 60's when the band was opened. The D104 microphone was the to die for microphone. Snapping the transmit bar created a unique sound that was easily recognised.
I’m not sure how I stumbled across this in my feed but I was actually riveted by this entire crazy town series. Sorry you had to go through this absurdity but thanks for the entertainment 🤘🏻
Mr. Lehto, Thank you for posting this video. You have forever changed the rest of my life for the better beyond anything you can even imagine! I watched this last night and when you talked about statutes of limitations and filing a complaint it sparked a light bulb in my brain about a legal problem I have been trying to fix for 10 years. I had previously given up all hope of fixing my problem, and resigned myself to just having to live with the problem for the rest of my life. The idea you sparked in my mind led me down a rabbit hole of civil code statutes, subsections, and chapters for hours... Again I thought it was just another dead end. Then by the grace of God I found the exact statute I needed and never knew existed. I never would have found it without your magical words of wisdom!! God bless you sir. When I prevail in court, in the coming year I will make it a top priority to personally pay you a visit and give you a wonderful gift. The gift of knowledge you gave me is worth more than any amount of money can buy. I will pay your defense costs incurred from the crazy town suit or buy you an amazing gift of your choosing. You are an angel from heaven. I am forever in your debt. Anything you ever need, If I am able, I will do for you! Again God Bless you! 😃 -Nate K
Not an attorney but a shop owner now retired. But back in the day I have looked at repairs by other shops that was sooooo bad that I have had the customer file a complaint with our bureau of automotive repair to get their money back and pay me to do a proper repair. Thankfully not often but there is always a bad one out there. Glad it ended in a positive way for you.
So although I'm not remotely in the jurisdiction for this, and the result seemed pretty obvious from the first video - I'm really heartened to see the proceedings going, if not right, about as good as we could expect. Thanks for a hugely amusing series & I'll look forward to the grievance process appearing at some point in the future.
Had me on baited breath all through this series, what a wonderful 4 part series of videos! TOP NOTCH! Now I have to wait again for the results of the grievances, dammit Steve, you're good...
I did a temporary job at our local court one summer. We had one guy who had way too too much money using others constantly over small issues and getting sued over large issues - trespass, threatening, orders of protection so on. Every week it went on. Sad
Generally nothing. Here, because the complaint was egregiously frivolous, and because it was filed against another attorney for simply being a representative in the lawsuit, perhaps something will be done.
Halfway through it was mentioned a GRIEVANCE will be filed against the attorney of the other party. But still it cost SL a few thousand to defend himself ? That’s more crazy.
1st Amendment right to petition government for redress of grievances. The point is to encourage lawsuits, as opposed to the alternative of vigilante justice.
Thank YOU! Your videos serve not only to educate us illiterte (and ENTERTAIN) but also to inspire those who care to pursue the lawyer career. NOTHING is as enlightening as going thru real-world legal cases... And you do so with levity and intelligence.
I saw the first three episodes years ago and always wondered what happened but never heard so I figured he had signed some thing where he could not talk about it and today this video came up and I watched it I’ve been wondering about this case for four years thank you for finally giving it straight. We’re getting into my video feed. Congratulations I don’t have to worry about you anymore.
Great series. Also love how you say you would fight the frivolous lawsuits rather than just give them the nuisance money to go away, wish more people would do that when they could. Long time ago when I was working in a restaurant we got threatened with a lawsuit over damage to a truck that happened in our parking lot. Never actually filed, just sent a letter from the attorney stating the claims and wanting $600 to cover damages. The truck was damaged when the driver (daughter of said attorney) struck a light pole in the lot. They claimed that it was our fault because we had inadequate lighting, and that being closed was not an excuse to have it off because we did not take enough care to prevent people from being in the lot. The owner just paid the money and sent me to the hardware store to buy some spray paint to fix the scratches on the light pole because it wasn't worth the cost of fighting it, but I always wished he would have fought it on principal alone. For one thing, we had video of the incident. They had waited over a month to send the letter, I guessed because they assumed we would not have video that long, and they would normally be correct however there was another incident involving the police the same day and just a few hours prior to this one so we kept the recording. We could see that it was not dark out, most reasonable people would say 5pm in June in WI? Its daylight hours, but still we had video showing just how light it was and saw the car hit the pole. Secondly the bit about us being closed was also false, again the video showed cars coming and going, we also had receipts to back up that we were in fact open at the time. Third thing that bugged me about it was no police report, no insurance claim either, likely because even if their insurance would pay it out their deductible would eat most of it. I really wanted him to fight it on principal, or even just send a letter back saying "We have video of the incident, the driver of the truck struck the pole then drove off which is hit and run, we will have to notify the police"
"I've spent more and gotten less entertainment in my life!" Ta-da-boom! This is the best little series I've seen in a long time. Can you sue her as well as report her?
I have been in the position three time in my 81 years. The first time, I was lucky and didn't end up paying anything to anybody. The second and third, hopefully the last, I represented myself. I did have many legal courses in college along with my wife having been a legal secretary so probably had a little more knowledge than most. However, I would advise anyone to tryit if you can't afford a great attorney. Most Judges will try to help you understand what you can say and do. They wont eat you.
Here in Maine I was in court a few years ago with a lawyer I'd hired and recognized that opposing council had done a couple of unethical things during the civil trial including stating as fact several things in his summery that were never brought out during the trial. While walking aback to my lawyers office at the time I asked why he didn't object to opposing counsels summery statements and if we were going to file a grievance and he said flat out "we don't do that to each other".
Damn you Steve Lehto... You hooked me on the first of four videos. As much as I hate to admit it, this was quite entertaining. However, now I need to see the video updating us on the grievance of the other lawyer. When you give us the FINAL video of this debacle series, I will SUBSCRIBE! (Quid Pro Quo? LMAO)
“I’m not doing it, he’s doing it to himself” - excellent point. Seems you stopped “bad” at its source, preventing it from perpetuating. Way to go. Wish more people would stand up to stop (shall I say) ‘corruption’ : life is far more tranquil. Until then, all of us retain lawyers!
My Uncle (long time family friend) he went to an attorney to go after another attorney for scamming his quite elderly father out of some property. He went to speak to an attorney about filing a case against the attorney that scammed his father and this attorney told him "attorney's don't sue other attorney's"
Depends on how much he makes, as to how much he can deduct. You can't just deduct any legal fees related to your business. First, it has to fall under qualifying deductions for legal fees. This does qualify, but then.... You still has to follow the 2% rule. You can only deduct the amount above 2% of your AGI. So say his AGI is $200,000...he can only deduct fees incurred the same year, over $4,000. Gets tricky. Say you pay a retainer of $10,000 for a case. You can only deduct, based on the fees actually incurred for that year. So again, let's say he has paid a $10,000 retainer..but the attorney has only billed hours and court fees in the amount of $3,000 so far for this case...that's all he can factor into a deduction. However any other deductible legal fees he has incurred throughout the year add to this...so let's say in total for the year he has had to pay out $5,000 in deductible fees... you subtract that 2% of your AGI (2% of our theoretical $200,000AGI = $4,000) Therefore he would only be able to deduct $1,000 for the tax year. (Alt examp: if you pay a retainer of $10,000 in December, but the attorney has not filled anything or worked on the case yet... you can't deduct anything until the next year, when actual fees and hours have incurred.) Got to love the complex AMT and other fun tax laws.
11:14 From the sound of that laugh, I'm guessing it would be a great storey for your channel! It probably begins with "me and some friends were drinking....."! LOL PLEASE TELL US STEVE!!!
I watched the whole series. I'm not surprised at the outcome, and Good for you, for filing a grievance against the attorney... she deserves it. And thanx for having Integrity (defined as "Doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking"). Cheers.
Best quote of the month: "You find an artisan, and you pay them for their craft" - right on, brilliant. There is good reason I invested 14 years in college ...
Enjoyed watching the crazy town episodes!! I am not an attorney, however, I went through similar issues due to being a company owner and commercial vehicle owner. I had a great laugh over this. I was being sued for $3 million and the judge through out and dismissed any and all claims that the person could file against me and/or my company.
*Carlos Hathcock?* Just kidding, _and_ off topic. Hathcock is just the first thing that I think, anytime I hear, or see, _sniper._ That has a lot to do with his name being associated with snipers for so long, and he is still, and always will be, a legend.
@@AFloridaSon could be Simo Hayak, the Finnish sniper from WW2. or maybe the unnamed Canadian sniper who serviced a target at a distance of over 2 miles.. there are a lot of famous, semi-famous, or notorious snipers.
@@tashkiira7838 I do not mean any disrespect to the Canadian, but he had modern tech on his side. However, he obviously had some mad skills as well, and I would not even challenge him with Nerf guns - lol. Hathcock had as modern of a scope as was available in the 60's, but he had to rely on more skill than tech. I'm not saying one was better than the other as far as personal skill, I'm just saying two miles would be an easier shot with today's tech. But, if Hathcock, the Canadian, and Haya were put in the jungle to fight it out, *_"last man standing"_* style, I would have my money on Haya. He did not use a scope. He was all about skill. But, you're right, there are many great snipers out there who have their own skills which make them better in one way or another, than the next one.
One thing that I would like to see. Several attorneys get together and grieve the attorneys that successfully represented the case where the wheels don't need to be attached to the car in order to be a tire rotation.
Hey, Steve, just ran across this four-part episode on your channel. Greatly entertaining! I love all the ins and outs of the laws that need to be dealt with and looked at, and this lawsuit seems so blatantly ridiculous, that I'm amazed ANY attorney would consider filing it! Glad you got it easily dismissed, but I can sympathize with how its presence messes up your life, in spite if its entertainment value. I just checked all your listings I could find, and also didn't see any epilogue, as several of your previous commentators have noted below. I hope one shows up some day, and I hope the attorney that filed this garbage gets to suffer some consequences.
Done that rejection of client myself. Law prof told me 1st rule is if client says “I want to sue, and don’t care what it costs “ RUN, cause he isn’t’t going to pay you either.
When I was a teenager, I answered the phone when my parents weren't home. It was a lawyer demanding that my parents pay the medical bills and $10k for a 12 year old who had seen my sister's horse jumping equipment set up in the field. The girl had secretly trespassed and tried to get her horse to jump. The horse had bucked her off and broken her arm. I laughed and said good luck finding a judge and jury to agree. We never heard from them again. My father would have been terrified if he had answered the phone. But I thought that it was ridiculous.
Hey Steve! Love watching our videos as they help the average guy like me get a better understanding of the law. This series really caught my attention. I'm glad that the case was dismissed as you knew it would be. I'm looking for the epilogue clip about what happened to the attorney that filed the lawsuit against you and the others but can't seem to find it. Did all of the you file grievances? Is she still practicing law in Michigan?
If you haven't already, read the top comment, the one by LockpickingLawyer, Steve is the first response and mentions that she got suspended for 3 years. I too would like a video follow up as well.
The first time I bought a home, the mortgage company FedEx'd me a check for one cent because they'd overcharged me. It was too novel to cash, so I kept it, although it would have been fun to have seen the look on a cashier's face.
Steve, this was a fantastic journey! Thanks for sharing this with us. BTW, there's something about you that makes me want to go fishing with you and just chit chat about life.
As I listen to this, I agree that filing the grievance is something you should do. Suppose this attorney filed a lawsuit against someone who was unable to hire a lawyer, someone on a fixed income for instance.
"Iv'e spent more and got less entertainment before." Great line. Iv'e spent my entire life around attorneys, including one who ended up a state Supreme Court Justice. This is one of the most frivolous attempts at legal extortion Iv'e ever seen.
Steve, I found crazy town to be a compeling story. But the fact you can and are holding the filing attorney accountable is great. You will be stopping them from inflicting this pain and cost on their next vicitums. Its like if you are robbed, but you tackle hold the robber until they are arrested vs giving them what they want and letting them go, which allows them continue to rob others. Thank you for doing this.
Enjoyed the series and your attitude. George Carlin said "Somewhere in the world is the worst doctor. By the process of elimination, you could find them. And someone has an appointment with him tomorrow." Well somewhere in the world is the worst lawyer. By the process of elimination, you could find them. And someone will go to court with him as their attorney on Monday morning.
The scary part is, that when this happens to the average Blue Collar guy, it destroys his life with legal fees.
You countersue for all your legal costs this was frivolous and I wouldn't be suing the client I would be suing the lawyer
I have never been sued...but I would move heaven and earth to defend myself, with all the lawyers I could find. Wouldn't end up costing me a dime.
@@Mrchadmam That's assuming your well is deep enough to begin with and you're willing to risk your livelihood on the notion you'll get it back.
@@JoshSweetvale that is why I have always said justice goes to those who can afford to pay for it.
whoever loses should have to pay the fees for the winner. and especially if the case gets thrown out.
Hey there! 🌟 We're eagerly awaiting the follow-up epilogue about what happened next. Your content keeps us hooked, and we can't wait to see the exciting developments. Keep up the great work! 👏📺
I wait for Epilogue 1.
Nothing like a cliffhanger.
One of the key things you forgot to mention about why it's so important for lawyers to hire an attorney when they get sued is it makes their practice so much easier to manage during that time. If you had to represent yourself in court, you wouldn't have been able to make the trip up to Grand Rapids for your client. In addition, it doesn't hurt to have a second pair of eyes looking at a case, particularly one you're involved in when your frustration and anger may cause you to overlook things that an impartial attorney might have caught!
That was mentioned in the 1st episode.
@@kristinjayne6720Yup.
He DID mention it; in fact he Emphasized it. More attention to detail needed before commenting would be good.
As a Landlord I have been sued 4 times. Each time I file an eviction the person would counter sue. They all have been thrown out. Even during COVID I filed an eviction for non-payment. The tenant sued me since I called there employer and got a document showing proof of employment, which I showed to the court. In the courts eyes if you have a job you have to pay the rent.
Great series... thanks for sharing. As for the lawyer who suggested that you could leave without testifying, I’ll admit to being a bit shocked by that. It seems way too close to witness tampering for my comfort.
His client got suspended for three years. It was the only thing he could think of that might head that off!
It would be funny to see LPL put in jail for contempt without emptying his pockets, and then watch him open the cell door while telling how poor the lock is
@@stevelehto hey whats going on with crazy town?
@@stevelehto he'd make a good cop if he ever stops lawyering..shame
@@848evo4 LPL would pick the lock twice just to show the guards it's not a fluke.
Okay Crazy Town the sequel: how to recoup attorneys fees.
And, an episode on how to successfully sue an attorney and win....
Not saying he shouldn't, I would, but he may have made it all back sharing with us, lol.
I definitely learned a lot from this video series. By recouping attorney fees, he's cleaning the pool, getting rid of some bad lawyers, protecting what he loves, and getting good attorneys paid. What a beautiful system.
Joe Milosch They need to file a lien against Marvs tire property. When ha ever goes to sell it they can’t close the sale till he pays it off. With 6 or 7 liens it will take a good chunk off the sale price.
@@davidhigley5557 j
I wish someone would have recorded the plaintiffs reaction when the suit got thrown out. Watching someone's head explode can be entertaining.
Steve, what happened to the epilog? I have family in the UP and ran accross your site a couple years ago following off and on. Thanks for the great stories. Love the mike collection by the way.
Mic***
"Just ask me for a penny and I will give it to you but dont tell me I owe you" 😂 priceless
Chris Whitman - hey Steve can I have a penny ? lol.
Absolutely agree! (With the original comment!)
I'm delighted you're grieving the other attorney! This definitely a time to light a fire under that woman!
Kevin J Hell, I want that Ike dollar. How ‘bout it Steve... I asked nicely?
@@kevinj8258 Darn! You beat me to it!
Steve Lehto "Anyone who wants to serve me can do so at my office" ME *Looks up the office address
and has pepperoni pizza delivered, with the note, "You've been served"
I'm a retired California attorney and I really like your videos, Steve. They are always interesting and I'm subscribed. I knew that this case would be thrown out. The attorney who filed the case should be sanctioned for fees and costs.
Very glad to hear you are filing a grievance. The problem with frivolous lawsuits is that it is usually no loss for the lawyer of the client who files them. Usually neither the lawyer or the person bringing the frivolous lawsuit receive any punishment for their actions, while the people they sued have lost time, money, suffered stress, etc. I always thought that there should be strong penalties for filing frivolous lawsuits. It would warn off people trying to scam the system and reduce a lot of the crap filling the courts.
I hope we get a "what was the other Lawyer thinking" when she filed this suit.
@@opus_workshop not a real statement but some reasoning
We all know the answer, she wasn't.
@@dremwolf5419 She was thinking of the fee deposited into her bank account.
Maybe she'd be willing to make a guest appearance on Steve's show.
@@SalisburySnake That would prove to be interesting!
Steve, I cannot wait to hear the end of this story. I have really enjoyed listening. Greetings from Nashville, TN.
...and the same from Murfreesboro, TN.
Knox County, TN here
Spring Hill, TN here
Charlie Beers Isn't that where they made Saturns?
@@POOKIE5592 Yes. GM plant.
Generally if you tell an attorney, "It's not the money it's the principle," he will ridicule you.
It's refreshing to hear an attorney who understands the concept.
👍on that ! 💯 % .
Yup, so true.
It's not about the money, it's about sending a message: "frivolous lawsuits burn."
I hear smart attorneys love clients with principles as long as the client has enough money to keep fighting for those principles
I doubt most attorneys would ridicule you, I imagine most would dispassionately explain the situation to you. Most would probably commend you for your desire to take a principled stand but would emphasize the practical aspects, just as they should.
It is a shame that 99% of the lawyers give the other 1% a bad name. LOL :-)
Very entertaining video, Steve. Glad you went scott free.
Keep 'em coming.
It was nice that Ed was a good sport about all of this...even though he did get paid to represent you. And he did get the case tossed out like you expected. Waiting to hear the epilogue from the Grievance.
Ed may have been in the video, but he probably couldn't stop laughing at just how crazy, *_Crazytown_* truly is - lol. This will be his anecdote, and a story he will tell his grandkids.
I know more than a few lawyers, and for the most part they hate going to court. They have better shit to do then spend their time waiting to see the judge.
Hi I just found you,,, love your stuff. You were talking about relationships with judges. I was very good friends with a judge (he has since passed). Well when I first met him (he was a classic Chevy collector probably 200 cars in his collection and I am a mechanic and I worked on his cars). One day I was test driving a car I had repaired, and I got pulled over for expired tags. The officer didn't care that it wasn't my car and gave me a ticket and a court date. I went before the judge (forgetting he was gone for that week) only to find a substitute judge, well that wasn't going to fly, so I plead not guilty so I could get another court date. The new court date arrives and I show up in court, the judge (my friend) calls me to the bench. and asked me "I see you got a ticket for expired tags I replied yes sir He asked were they expired? I replied yes sir. He asked so why did you plead not guilty? I replied because it wasn't my car. He asked well who's car was it? I replied yours". He banged his gavel and said guilty, got up and paid the bailiff.
Great story! Thanks for sharing!
That is a great story!
U can't make this stuff up 🚗
@@grandmasmalibu No joke, this really happened.
sixinarow1 The judge should’ve recused himself in that case no matter what.
It's been a while, is there an update on the epilogue ?? ;)
I want to file a claim and delivery in the ball Steve dropped. No Epilogue.
@@wweeks Yeah, Hey Steve WHERE IS THE EPILOGUE!!! It's been almost 2 years.
Given how slowly these things can move in the best of times, combined with Covid slowing everything even more than usual, (Oh how innocent we all were in 2019) I would suspect its still somewhere out in legal limbo land.
.
Go to his website.
Send him an email and ask your question.
Some years back I was Chair of a small charity offering free residential meditation courses. Someone signed up but was finding the course tough going, so after a chat with the teacher he decided to leave of his own free will. Some months later he sued us for not dissuading him from leaving, so he failed to benefit from the course. Essentially he was suing us for not imprisoning him. Naturally the Court dismissed it as a frivolous action. But the depressing thing was that he found a lawyer who was prepared to take on this absurd litigation. I'm surprised she didn't lose her licence...
Take some satisfaction from knowing that, in all likelihood, plaintiff’s counsel was getting paid contingently and that she probably spent dozens of hours interviewing her client and preparing a complaint without compensation, and now she’ll never see a dime.
Also, don’t be so apologetic about filing a grievance against another attorney. The Michigan rules of professional conduct require you to do so when you become aware that another attorney has breached the rules. You’re just doing what you’re supposed to.
And you may save a lot of other people money by removing this bad lawyer from the pool.
@@MonkeyJedi99 dont forget about the taxpayers who pay the judge and the entire staff of the courthouse
"The Streets of San Francisco. A Quinn Martin production. Tonight's episode: Crazy Town."
I can hear the theme song playing, ruclips.net/video/fnjMbS1dRp0/видео.html
I heard it with Hank Simm's voice. He did all th Q-M stuff and Police Squad.
@@Hi11is DID HE VOICE "THE F.B.I.", 'IN COLOR', TOO?
@@Hi11is I LOVED the titles in Police Squad - where the written chapter name didnt match the spoken one.
I’ve never been an attorney, but for 30 years I was in the car business. Lawyers and car salesmen are often grouped as opportunistic bottom feeders - when the reality is that we cannot stand the few bad ones that ruin the reputation of everyone. Yet year after year I met people who did not buy from me, but instead bought from someone who they already knew was crooked and dishonest because they had already been caught in a lie. A part of humanity is willing to support unethical car salesman and attorneys as long as they might financially benefit. A lot of customers and clients are willing to accept unethical behavior as long as it might put some money in their pocket.
Principles are very important. Looking forward to the epilogue...
Thanks Steve, I SO enjoyed this. I particularly enjoyed the final part where you nonchalantly state that you "had been thinking about it..." Given the amount involved I should imagine you would have been! :-) Looking forward to seeing the 'Epilogue' some time down the line. UK Law is never this much fun! Cheers, Kev
Steve, I enjoy your videos. Entertaining and educational. Such a crazy world. Keep up the sane work!
Outstanding! I've watched all your stuff and it's all great. I had something equivalent happen - a derelict condo renter filed assault and breaking/entering charges when I just walked away after I knocked and he never came to the door (trying to get rent payment). Got a lawyer, went to court, renter didn't show (had completely disappeared) and my attorney and I sauntered out. The best part for you now is you have the knowledge, power, ability and smarts to teach a lesson, punish somebody who well deserves it, and get restitution. I couldn't - I had to just eat the mortgage and the associated fees. Go nail this chick Steve!!
You haven't seen crazy town until you litigate in the LA Second Appellate District. The Superior Courts overrule the Court of Appeals, who in turn ignore their own case rulings, the jurisdictional requirements of the Code of Civil Procedure become aspirational, and the meanings of words are mauled beyond recognition.
I have been following this mini-thread of videos as recently I was listed as a defendant in a 'slip and fall' type case. I just was notified by my attorney yesterday that I have been removed from the list of defendants....but, they can always files against me in the future (says the attorney).
What stinks is that I am now out several thousands of dollars as I had to hire an attorney, not to mention that now my professional liability insurance premium will certainly increase. I am told that I can not seek financial remedy to make myself whole from my edition of crazy town.
Something similar happened to my home owners association. Bike accident happened on an adjacent fire access road. Attorney sued 'all' adjoining communities. Turned out it road was not any of their properties so dropped from suit. Biggest problem: our HOA insurance basically doubled because we had been 'named' in a suit. Forever!!!
@@Nickvec This is another reason to avoid owning property in homeowner's associations.
Congratulations on your win! Please add the epilogue to your crazy playlist. Good content btw.
In my city, which gets actually cold in winter, there is a joke that says, "In our town, in winter, it gets so cold that lawyers have to actualy put their hands in their own pockets."
we tell that joke about politicians
Had to mention, I love seeing the D104 microphone (6th from the left) I was involved in CB radio in the late 60's when the band was opened. The D104 microphone was the to die for microphone. Snapping the transmit bar created a unique sound that was easily recognised.
I’m not sure how I stumbled across this in my feed but I was actually riveted by this entire crazy town series. Sorry you had to go through this absurdity but thanks for the entertainment 🤘🏻
Mr. Lehto,
Thank you for posting this video. You have forever changed the rest of my life for the better beyond anything you can even imagine! I watched this last night and when you talked about statutes of limitations and filing a complaint it sparked a light bulb in my brain about a legal problem I have been trying to fix for 10 years. I had previously given up all hope of fixing my problem, and resigned myself to just having to live with the problem for the rest of my life. The idea you sparked in my mind led me down a rabbit hole of civil code statutes, subsections, and chapters for hours... Again I thought it was just another dead end. Then by the grace of God I found the exact statute I needed and never knew existed. I never would have found it without your magical words of wisdom!! God bless you sir. When I prevail in court, in the coming year I will make it a top priority to personally pay you a visit and give you a wonderful gift. The gift of knowledge you gave me is worth more than any amount of money can buy. I will pay your defense costs incurred from the crazy town suit or buy you an amazing gift of your choosing. You are an angel from heaven. I am forever in your debt. Anything you ever need, If I am able, I will do for you! Again God Bless you! 😃
-Nate K
Did you get your problem resolved?
You promised an epilogue to crazy town. When can we expect that?
I want to know too.
The lawyer who filed this "lawsuit" got suspended for three years. @Steve lehto answered this in an earlier (a year ago post)
@@PaulLandoltToronto could you possibly link the episode?
Yea, wanting to know also.
He said it might be a long while down the road - the wheels of justice move slowly.
Not an attorney but a shop owner now retired. But back in the day I have looked at repairs by other shops that was sooooo bad that I have had the customer file a complaint with our bureau of automotive repair to get their money back and pay me to do a proper repair. Thankfully not often but there is always a bad one out there. Glad it ended in a positive way for you.
So although I'm not remotely in the jurisdiction for this, and the result seemed pretty obvious from the first video - I'm really heartened to see the proceedings going, if not right, about as good as we could expect. Thanks for a hugely amusing series & I'll look forward to the grievance process appearing at some point in the future.
I was fascinated by this whole saga. Much appreciation from a guy living just across the Detroit River *waves*
You’re legit. Very proud of you! We all need great attorneys like you.
Thank you for sharing this! Too many people fall victim to crap like this, and I'm grateful that you have shed light upon it.
Had me on baited breath all through this series, what a wonderful 4 part series of videos! TOP NOTCH!
Now I have to wait again for the results of the grievances, dammit Steve, you're good...
Love this channel and love knowing there are still principled people in these great states ❤️
I did a temporary job at our local court one summer. We had one guy who had way too too much money using others constantly over small issues and getting sued over large issues - trespass, threatening, orders of protection so on. Every week it went on. Sad
Hey Steve, did you ever do the Epilog to this? I just found your channel a few weeks ago, and I've been listening to them while I do paperwork.
I hope to hear a what happens to this lawyer filing a frivolous lawsuit.
Generally nothing.
Here, because the complaint was egregiously frivolous, and because it was filed against another attorney for simply being a representative in the lawsuit, perhaps something will be done.
Halfway through it was mentioned a GRIEVANCE will be filed against the attorney of the other party. But still it cost SL a few thousand to defend himself ? That’s more crazy.
Why don't we have 'English rule' for baseless cases where the loser in the case has to pay the other's attorney fees? Texas did it briefly in 2011.
But don't the British also regulate legal fees? I don't think American lawyers would be too happy about that.
At first blush, this response to frivolous suits would seem to make a lawyer think twice by putting some skin in the game.
REALLY WANT TO EXTERMINATE frivolous lawsuits? Have the losing ATTORNEY and Plaintiff split the costs !!!! LOL
1st Amendment right to petition government for redress of grievances. The point is to encourage lawsuits, as opposed to the alternative of vigilante justice.
Colorado does.
Not just baseless...all.
Loser pays.
Thank YOU! Your videos serve not only to educate us illiterte (and ENTERTAIN) but also to inspire those who care to pursue the lawyer career. NOTHING is as enlightening as going thru real-world legal cases... And you do so with levity and intelligence.
Where's the epilogue?! I need to know what happened 😝
I am guessing that 2020 happened and that case hasnt even gone on yet, I also need to know but i guess we'll just have to wait.
@@pieterrosing6007.
Viewing this in 2024.
OMG the whole time i was listening to this i was hoping to see an epilogue video... THEN YOU ACTUALLY SAID THE WORD... awesome *cheers*
We are now leaving crazy town station, please have your tickets ready.
I saw the first three episodes years ago and always wondered what happened but never heard so I figured he had signed some thing where he could not talk about it and today this video came up and I watched it I’ve been wondering about this case for four years thank you for finally giving it straight. We’re getting into my video feed. Congratulations I don’t have to worry about you anymore.
Great series.
Also love how you say you would fight the frivolous lawsuits rather than just give them the nuisance money to go away, wish more people would do that when they could.
Long time ago when I was working in a restaurant we got threatened with a lawsuit over damage to a truck that happened in our parking lot. Never actually filed, just sent a letter from the attorney stating the claims and wanting $600 to cover damages.
The truck was damaged when the driver (daughter of said attorney) struck a light pole in the lot.
They claimed that it was our fault because we had inadequate lighting, and that being closed was not an excuse to have it off because we did not take enough care to prevent people from being in the lot.
The owner just paid the money and sent me to the hardware store to buy some spray paint to fix the scratches on the light pole because it wasn't worth the cost of fighting it, but I always wished he would have fought it on principal alone.
For one thing, we had video of the incident. They had waited over a month to send the letter, I guessed because they assumed we would not have video that long, and they would normally be correct however there was another incident involving the police the same day and just a few hours prior to this one so we kept the recording. We could see that it was not dark out, most reasonable people would say 5pm in June in WI? Its daylight hours, but still we had video showing just how light it was and saw the car hit the pole.
Secondly the bit about us being closed was also false, again the video showed cars coming and going, we also had receipts to back up that we were in fact open at the time.
Third thing that bugged me about it was no police report, no insurance claim either, likely because even if their insurance would pay it out their deductible would eat most of it.
I really wanted him to fight it on principal, or even just send a letter back saying "We have video of the incident, the driver of the truck struck the pole then drove off which is hit and run, we will have to notify the police"
Can't wait for the epilogue! (never thought I would be entertained by a legal story, great stuff!)
Thank you for fighting the principle. You may save someone else
Steve, I'm so impressed that you got right through that whole story without once referring to the frivolous lawsuit as cr*p!
"I've spent more and gotten less entertainment in my life!" Ta-da-boom!
This is the best little series I've seen in a long time. Can you sue her as well as report her?
One of the best parts of my week is seeing a new vid from the no BS lawyer in my subscription feed
I have been in the position three time in my 81 years. The first time, I was lucky and didn't end up paying anything to anybody. The second and third, hopefully the last, I represented myself. I did have many legal courses in college along with my wife having been a legal secretary so probably had a little more knowledge than most. However, I would advise anyone to tryit if you can't afford a great attorney. Most Judges will try to help you understand what you can say and do. They wont eat you.
Here in Maine I was in court a few years ago with a lawyer I'd hired and recognized that opposing council had done a couple of unethical things during the civil trial including stating as fact several things in his summery that were never brought out during the trial. While walking aback to my lawyers office at the time I asked why he didn't object to opposing counsels summery statements and if we were going to file a grievance and he said flat out "we don't do that to each other".
Just discovered your channel, Steve. Stayed up until 2 AM watching all four episodes...😊 Well done, my man!!!👍
Damn you Steve Lehto... You hooked me on the first of four videos. As much as I hate to admit it, this was quite entertaining. However, now I need to see the video updating us on the grievance of the other lawyer. When you give us the FINAL video of this debacle series, I will SUBSCRIBE! (Quid Pro Quo? LMAO)
We need an update to this story. Possibly just a video revisiting the case, the outcomes and how your life has been since this happened.
“I’m not doing it, he’s doing it to himself” - excellent point. Seems you stopped “bad” at its source, preventing it from perpetuating. Way to go.
Wish more people would stand up to stop (shall I say) ‘corruption’ : life is far more tranquil. Until then, all of us retain lawyers!
My Uncle (long time family friend) he went to an attorney to go after another attorney for scamming his quite elderly father out of some property. He went to speak to an attorney about filing a case against the attorney that scammed his father and this attorney told him "attorney's don't sue other attorney's"
This is a totally legit business expense. Deduct that legal cost.
Depends on how much he makes, as to how much he can deduct. You can't just deduct any legal fees related to your business. First, it has to fall under qualifying deductions for legal fees. This does qualify, but then....
You still has to follow the 2% rule. You can only deduct the amount above 2% of your AGI. So say his AGI is $200,000...he can only deduct fees incurred the same year, over $4,000.
Gets tricky. Say you pay a retainer of $10,000 for a case. You can only deduct, based on the fees actually incurred for that year. So again, let's say he has paid a $10,000 retainer..but the attorney has only billed hours and court fees in the amount of $3,000 so far for this case...that's all he can factor into a deduction. However any other deductible legal fees he has incurred throughout the year add to this...so let's say in total for the year he has had to pay out $5,000 in deductible fees... you subtract that 2% of your AGI (2% of our theoretical $200,000AGI = $4,000)
Therefore he would only be able to deduct $1,000 for the tax year. (Alt examp: if you pay a retainer of $10,000 in December, but the attorney has not filled anything or worked on the case yet... you can't deduct anything until the next year, when actual fees and hours have incurred.)
Got to love the complex AMT and other fun tax laws.
Proof that Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction! Looking forward to the epilogue Steve.
Yup, fiction has to be believable, real life is not so much.
11:14 From the sound of that laugh, I'm guessing it would be a great storey for your channel! It probably begins with "me and some friends were drinking....."! LOL PLEASE TELL US STEVE!!!
I watched the whole series. I'm not surprised at the outcome, and Good for you, for filing a grievance against the attorney... she deserves it. And thanx for having Integrity (defined as "Doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking"). Cheers.
Best quote of the month: "You find an artisan, and you pay them for their craft" - right on, brilliant. There is good reason I invested 14 years in college ...
This can not be the last one. I wan't to hear what happens to that "lawyer".
Right on. All courts of law need officers like you!
Enjoyed watching the crazy town episodes!! I am not an attorney, however, I went through similar issues due to being a company owner and commercial vehicle owner. I had a great laugh over this. I was being sued for $3 million and the judge through out and dismissed any and all claims that the person could file against me and/or my company.
I FEEL SORRY FOR THE TREES THAT DIED TO MAKE THIS...holy crap that was priceless :)
*Carlos Hathcock?* Just kidding, _and_ off topic. Hathcock is just the first thing that I think, anytime I hear, or see, _sniper._ That has a lot to do with his name being associated with snipers for so long, and he is still, and always will be, a legend.
@@AFloridaSon could be Simo Hayak, the Finnish sniper from WW2. or maybe the unnamed Canadian sniper who serviced a target at a distance of over 2 miles.. there are a lot of famous, semi-famous, or notorious snipers.
@@tashkiira7838 I do not mean any disrespect to the Canadian, but he had modern tech on his side. However, he obviously had some mad skills as well, and I would not even challenge him with Nerf guns - lol. Hathcock had as modern of a scope as was available in the 60's, but he had to rely on more skill than tech. I'm not saying one was better than the other as far as personal skill, I'm just saying two miles would be an easier shot with today's tech. But, if Hathcock, the Canadian, and Haya were put in the jungle to fight it out, *_"last man standing"_* style, I would have my money on Haya. He did not use a scope. He was all about skill. But, you're right, there are many great snipers out there who have their own skills which make them better in one way or another, than the next one.
that was the like !
Why do Courts allow frivolous lawsuits like this?
Thanks Steve enjoyed the episodes. Waiting to hear the epilogue.
One thing that I would like to see. Several attorneys get together and grieve the attorneys that successfully represented the case where the wheels don't need to be attached to the car in order to be a tire rotation.
It's been 3 years now. I don't see the "epilogue". What happened?
Steve, because of the legal fees, have the four Crazy Town episodes been the most expensive to produce?
Hey, Steve, just ran across this four-part episode on your channel. Greatly entertaining! I love all the ins and outs of the laws that need to be dealt with and looked at, and this lawsuit seems so blatantly ridiculous, that I'm amazed ANY attorney would consider filing it! Glad you got it easily dismissed, but I can sympathize with how its presence messes up your life, in spite if its entertainment value. I just checked all your listings I could find, and also didn't see any epilogue, as several of your previous commentators have noted below. I hope one shows up some day, and I hope the attorney that filed this garbage gets to suffer some consequences.
Done that rejection of client myself. Law prof told me 1st rule is if client says “I want to sue, and don’t care what it costs “ RUN, cause he isn’t’t going to pay you either.
I was hoping for an ending involving you and Ed dragging the OED into the courtroom like an old episode of Perry Mason!
My favorite Lehto-ism: "You know that I'm being serious, because my t-shirt is blank."
When I was a teenager, I answered the phone when my parents weren't home. It was a lawyer demanding that my parents pay the medical bills and $10k for a 12 year old who had seen my sister's horse jumping equipment set up in the field. The girl had secretly trespassed and tried to get her horse to jump. The horse had bucked her off and broken her arm. I laughed and said good luck finding a judge and jury to agree. We never heard from them again. My father would have been terrified if he had answered the phone. But I thought that it was ridiculous.
Hey Steve! Love watching our videos as they help the average guy like me get a better understanding of the law. This series really caught my attention. I'm glad that the case was dismissed as you knew it would be. I'm looking for the epilogue clip about what happened to the attorney that filed the lawsuit against you and the others but can't seem to find it. Did all of the you file grievances? Is she still practicing law in Michigan?
If you haven't already, read the top comment, the one by LockpickingLawyer, Steve is the first response and mentions that she got suspended for 3 years.
I too would like a video follow up as well.
"Steve's going off the rails of the crazy train"
Ozzie Osbourne
I appreciate the offer for a penny, but I'm afraid the shipping costs would be disproportionate.
The first time I bought a home, the mortgage company FedEx'd me a check for one cent because they'd overcharged me. It was too novel to cash, so I kept it, although it would have been fun to have seen the look on a cashier's face.
@@TheHouseOfWaffles Did you get it laminated and framed?
@@k98killer Naw, I it's in a box somewhere.
Steve, this was a fantastic journey! Thanks for sharing this with us. BTW, there's something about you that makes me want to go fishing with you and just chit chat about life.
Any Updates???
As I listen to this, I agree that filing the grievance is something you should do. Suppose this attorney filed a lawsuit against someone who was unable to hire a lawyer, someone on a fixed income for instance.
Steve Lehto, the likable lawyer. Go figure! Love your channel!
"Iv'e spent more and got less entertainment before." Great line. Iv'e spent my entire life around attorneys, including one who ended up a state Supreme Court Justice. This is one of the most frivolous attempts at legal extortion Iv'e ever seen.
Steve, I found crazy town to be a compeling story. But the fact you can and are holding the filing attorney accountable is great. You will be stopping them from inflicting this pain and cost on their next vicitums. Its like if you are robbed, but you tackle hold the robber until they are arrested vs giving them what they want and letting them go, which allows them continue to rob others. Thank you for doing this.
Please let us know what happens to the lawyer who sued you.
As Paul Harvey would say,
"And now you know the rest of the story."
👍👍Paul Harvey was the best 👍👍
I had a lawyer that was more worried about the defense lawyer getting paid than his own clients case. So I ended up losing 40% of my property
In Texas a lawyer can be help financially responsible for filing frivolous lawsuits. In fact, the judge can order payment at the time they dismiss.
subscribing because this was a great story to follow - and really look forward to the sequel!
This series got me addicted to your channel 😀
I,also am looking 4 epilog!!!Thanx,Steve.
Enjoyed the series and your attitude. George Carlin said "Somewhere in the world is the worst doctor. By the process of elimination, you could find them. And someone has an appointment with him tomorrow."
Well somewhere in the world is the worst lawyer. By the process of elimination, you could find them. And someone will go to court with him as their attorney on Monday morning.