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David A. Karton, A Law Corporation v. Dougherty (Cal. Ct. App. - Feb. 17, 2009)

By Shaun Martin

Here's a case that reminded me of the old saying: "Pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered."

It's a case involving a default judgment against a client who owed an attorney -- David Karton (a Beverly Hills divorce lawyer) -- around $65,000 in unpaid fees and costs. And even though Karlton was able to recover around $56,000 within several months of obtaining a default judgment, over the years, Karlton was able to successfully increase that judgment to over $1.3 million through repeated cost and fee awards associated with collecting the original amount.

All, at least, until Justice Rothschild steps in. And takes it all away. All of it. Moreover, at the end, awarding costs to the client.

There are obviously two sides to every story. Just remember the part about the pigs and the hogs next time you're thinking that you're kicking legal butt.

Full post as published by California Appellate Report on February 18, 2009 (boomark / email).