Worked as Tax Senior for one of the largest CPA firms in Southern California. Prior IRS experience in Audit Branch, San Francisco, California.
Notable Case History:
Case Name Private: Involved an Appeal after a Family Court refused to allow a Paternity Test for the father. The Trial Court had agreed with the District Attorney's Office claiming that because there was an alleged default of alleged father, and over five years had passed since the date of default, alleged father was not entitled to the paternity test and had to pay the back support. We successfully argued and the Appellate Court agreed that since this was a default case and the DA was unable to prove personal service of the Paternity Petition, that alleged father was entitled to have a Paternity Test. Subsequently, a Paternity Test was finalized and it turned out that alleged father was not the child's father. Alleged father who has harassed by the DA's office for over $100,000.00 in child support and facing license suspension owed absolutely nothing.
Case Name Private: Decedent's new spouse of only five years attempted to take a parcel of real property with fair marked value of over $2 million, no mortgage, from Decedent's son from his first marriage of over 30 years. The new spouse claimed to have a Grant Deed executed by Decedent approximately one month before Decedent's death. The Grant Deed if valid, would have severed the Joint Tenancy that Decedent had created with his son so his son would get the poverty upon Decedent's death. We represent the Decedent's son who prevailed when we proved to the Trial Court that the new spouse's Grant Deed was invalid.
Published Appellate Decision: Sellery v. Cressey
Case established Statute of Limitations precedent involving alleged Repressed Memory of alleged child sex abuse. Issue of the case was an adult suing her parents for alleged child sex abuse which occurred approximately 30 years prior to the date litigation was commenced.
Case Name Private: Issued involved Elder Abuse, Testamentary Capacity of a Senior and a Marital Agreement which extended after death to Probate issues. We represented a party who successfully proved at Trial that her stepfather's children were not entitled to real property owned solely by her mother. Because her mother and stepfather had entered into a Marital Agreement approximately 30 years prior to their deaths that was deem controlling. Also, that the challenge of Testamentary Capacity or Competency of the Decedent failed and that the party we represented was not guilty of Elder Abuse on her mother. Our client prevailed on all issues at Trial.
Case Name Private: We prevailed for a client who claimed her father was wrongfully buried against his wishes. The Decedent's second spouse had buried her husband in a different County, even though his Will specifically stated his burial wishes to be buried at Forest Law in Los Angeles County. The Trial Court agreed and had the Decedent's grave site moved at the expense of the wrongful spouse.
Case Name Private: We successfully prevailed through Trial and Appeal where our client was awarded $50,000.00 in punitive damages for a Wrongful Eviction from a Hollywood apartment. The Landlord claimed that she was moving in a relative that was going to be the Resident Manager after she evicted our client. We successfully proved that Landlord's motive was to obtain more rent for the unit and the tenant that moved in was neither a relative of the Landlord or a Resident Manager.
