Law Office Sues to Stop A.G.’s Probe, Insisting That Law is not ‘Commerce’
WEST PALM BEACH (CN) – The Consumer Law Group, of Boca Raton, claims the Florida attorney general has no authority to investigate its business practices because “the practice of law does not constitute ‘trade or commerce’ as such term is defined by FDUTPA [Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act].” The law office says “at least ten (10) depositions have recently been conducted by the Attorney General regarding CLG’s practice of law,” and it wants to head off a lawsuit “that the Attorney General will soon file … under the guise of FDUPTA.”
Joining as plaintiffs are the law office’s managing attorney, Michael Metzner, and American Debt Negotiators and its president Ran Barnea and secretary Daniel Post.
The Consumer Law Group is a multistate law firm and, according to its website, specializes in debt management and debt settlements.
The law office says it hires American Debt Negotiators, also of Boca Raton, to provide “administrative services,” including “IT solutions for, among other things, CLG’s debt settlement programs pursuant to contract.”
In its complaint in Palm Beach County Court, the plaintiffs claim that the Florida Supreme Court, not the attorney general, has exclusive jurisdiction over the practice of law and lawyers.
The law office concedes that the attorney general has the power to enforce the Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, but says that “such investigation and the threatened law suit, however, exceed the attorney general’s statutory authority, as the practice of law does not constitute ‘trade or commerce’ as such term is defined by FDUTPA.”
The Consumer Law Group claims that “the attorney general, who, as alleged above, does not have the statutory authority to pursue this investigation, also does not have the constitutional authority to travel under Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act in order to investigate and or punish CLG, a multistate law firm, in its alleged malfeasance in the practice of law.”
The plaintiffs seek declaratory judgment. They are represented by Richard Epstein with Greenspoon Marder of Fort Lauderdale.
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4closureFraud.org
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We definitely have to support the House Bill coming out of the State of Virginia to which Dena Roudybush has done a fantastic job fighting the big banks and mortgage services to which she used to work for. Now Miss Roudybush, a practicing Attorney in State of Virginia and Maryland is now fighting for the citizens. Check out the site at: themortgagecrisisupdate.com
Virginia House Bill HB1506
Ok why not a Criminal Investigation? I believe the AG can do that if they suspect Fraud.
The entire Government is a CORRUPT, DECEPTIVE. ARROGANT Oligarchy, Kleptocracy,Fascist, Communist Dictatorship that steals from the poor and gives OUR money and OUR HOMES to the top 3% which includes itself. They need to be removed from power by the means of our vote. No one should vote for ANY OF THEM next time around. They have become a dictatorship and they think they have fooled us into thinking that OUR VOTE “elects them” That is A BIG LIE. It is an ENORMOUS Orwellian Eliteist Scheme that is playing out across the entire Globe and they are trying to kill all of us by any means possible.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win…
Of course a group of mill types want protection… from the trouble they know they are in.
“Thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not steal”… but attorneys get a free hall pass based upon their interpretation of the ten commandments?
Bung-holes….
They are getting to be like cats “on a hot tin roof”!