Disbarred Fagan Sues Judge Who Sanctioned Him

Attorney Disbarred for Failing to Pay Sanctions Sues Judge Who Sanctioned Him
The New York Law Journal by Mark Hamblett - January 8, 2009

An attorney disbarred for failing to pay sanctions and fees in a lawsuit to recover damages for Holocaust survivors from Austrian and German banks has sued a federal judge claiming bias and favoritism in the appointment of special masters and committee members. Edward D. Fagan was disbarred in December for failing to pay the Bank of Austria $350,000 in fees ordered by Southern District Judge Shirley Wohl Kram as well as more than $20,000 in sanctions ordered by Judge Kram and three other judges in Holocaust survivor cases. Mr. Fagan, who is seeking a reversal of his disbarment order, wants a court to force Judge Kram to release documents he claims she has in chambers, but were never filed with the clerk.

He also sued the judge for damages, claiming improper judicial conduct - favoritism to "certain counsel and non-parties," including family members. He names several other defendants, including former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato, who was court-appointed special master in the bank litigation, and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan partner Charles Moerdler, defense counsel in the same litigation. Mr. Fagan is representing himself in Fagan v. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 09 CV 00042, which has been assigned to Judge Victor Marrero. Judge Kram, who would most likely be represented by the Southern District U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment. Mr. Moerdler said, "This is bizarre and has absolutely no merit."

Here's the Federal Court Docket Sheet:

U.S. District Court 

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Foley Square)

CIVIL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:09-cv-00042-VM

Fagan v. United States District Court for Southern District of New York et al
Assigned to: Judge Victor Marrero
Cause: 28:1331 Fed. Question: Other
Date Filed: 01/06/2009
Jury Demand: Plaintiff
Nature of Suit: 890 Other Statutory Actions
Jurisdiction: U.S. Government Defendant

Plaintiff
Edward D. Fagan represented by Edward Davis Fagan
22 Courtland Street,  16th floor, New York , NY 10007
917-239-4989 - Email: faganlaw@gmail.com
LEAD ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

V.

Defendant United States District Court for Southern District of New York
Individually

Defendant United States District Court for Southern District of New York
as cust. of rec.of Hon.Shirley W. Kram, USDJ,Assig.Dist.Judge in re:Austria & German Bank Holoc. Lit. 98cv3938(SWK), Kluge et al v Raiffesen Zentralbank et al 00cv2851(SWK), Whiteman v Dorotheum 00cv8006(SWK), AHVRAM v Bank Austria 04cv3600 (SWK)

Defendant Hon. Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato
Court Appointed Special Master in Re:Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98cv3938(SWK)

Defendant Charles Moerdler, Individually

Defendant Charles Moerdler, as partner of Stroock, Stroock & Lavan

Defendant Charles Moerdler as Defendants' counsel in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98cv3938 (SWK) and AHVRAM et al v Bank Austria et al 04cv3600(SWK) "Amicus Curaie" in Whiteman et al v Dorotheum et al 00cv 8006(SWK)

Defendant Charles Moerdler Crt. App.Sp.Master in Ackerman v Copelco Cap.Corp.91-6860,Lesser v Corn 89-4866,Re:Take Two Inter.Sec.Lit. Fenninger v TakeTwo Inter.Soft. 06-803,Andrews vTake Two Int.Soft. 06-987 Kaplan v TakeTwo Int.Soft. 06-1131,Toth v Take Two Int. Soft. 06-1733(SWK)

Defendant Charles Moerdler, Counsel to Special Master Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato("Amicus Curaie") in Malloy et al v Metropolitan Transportation Authority 96-7786(2nd Cir.1996)

Defendant, UniCredit Group as Owner Defendant UniCredit Group 

as successor in interest to Bank Austria AG and Bank Austria d/b/a UniCredit USA Inc. and UniCredit Cap. Markets Inc. and Bank Austria s/h/a as def. in re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK),AHVRAM etal v Bank Austria et al 04-3600(SWK)

Defendant Paul D. Wachter, Court Appointed Chairman, Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98-3938(SWK)

Defendant, Paul D. Wachter, Court Appointed Special Master in AOL Time Warner Securities 02-5575(SWK) and Manager of "Kram Family Trust"

Defendant, Richard H. Dolan, Individually

Defendant, Richard H. Dolan as partner of Schlam Stone and Dolan

Defendant, Richard H. Dolan Court Approved Counsel to Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)("Amicus Curaie" to Judge Kram in 2nd Cir.) in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)

Defendant Miriam M. Robinson Court Appointed Restitution Committee Member-In Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98-3938(SWK)

Defendant, Walter Zifkin Court Appointed Special Master in Kluge et al v Raiffesen Zentralbank et al 00-2851(SWK) and Whiteman et al v Dorotheum et al 00-8006(SWK)

Defendant, David H. Pikus, Court Appointed Special Master in Whiteman et al v Dorotheum et al 00-8006(SWK)

Date Filed # Docket Text

01/06/2009 1 COMPLAINT against Charles Moerdler(Counsel to Special Master Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato("Amicus Curaie") in Malloy et al v Metropolitan Transportation Authority 96-7786(2nd Cir.1996)), UniCredit Group( as Owner), UniCredit Group(as successor in interest to Bank Austria AG and Bank Austria d/b/a UniCredit USA Inc. and UniCredit Cap. Markets Inc. and Bank Austria s/h/a as def. in re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK),AHVRAM etal v Bank Austria et al 04-3600(SWK)), Paul D. Wachter(Court Appointed Chairman, Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98-3938(SWK)), Paul D. Wachter(Court Appointed Special Master in AOL Time Warner Securities 02-5575(SWK) and Manager of "Kram Family Trust"), Richard H. Dolan(Individually), Richard H. Dolan(as partner of Schlam Stone and Dolan), Richard H. Dolan(Court Approved Counsel to Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)("Amicus Curaie" to Judge Kram in 2nd Cir.) in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)), Miriam M. Robinson, Walter Zifkin, David H. Pikus, United States District Court for Southern District of New York(Individually), United States District Court for Southern District of New York(as cust. of rec.of Hon.Shirley W. Kram, USDJ,Assig.Dist.Judge in re:Austria & German Bank Holoc. Lit. 98cv3938(SWK), Kluge et al v Raiffesen Zentralbank et al 00cv2851(SWK), Whiteman v Dorotheum 00cv8006(SWK), AHVRAM v Bank Austria 04cv3600 (SWK)), Alfonse M. D'Amato, Charles Moerdler(Individually), Charles Moerdler(as partner of Stroock, Stroock & Lavan), Charles Moerdler(as Defendants' counsel in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98cv3938 (SWK) and AHVRAM et al v Bank Austria et al 04cv3600(SWK) "Amicus Curaie" in Whiteman et al v Dorotheum et al 00cv 8006(SWK)), Charles Moerdler(Crt. App.Sp.Master in Ackerman v Copelco Cap.Corp.91-6860,Lesser v Corn 89-4866,Re:Take Two Inter.Sec.Lit. Fenninger v TakeTwo Inter.Soft. 06-803,Andrews vTake Two Int.Soft. 06-987 Kaplan v TakeTwo Int.Soft. 06-1131,Toth v Take Two Int. Soft. 06-1733(SWK)). (Filing Fee $ 350.00, Receipt Number 673922)Document filed by Edward D. Fagan.(ama) (Entered: 01/08/2009)

01/06/2009 SUMMONS ISSUED as to Charles Moerdler(Counsel to Special Master Sen. Alfonse M. D'Amato("Amicus Curaie") in Malloy et al v Metropolitan Transportation Authority 96-7786(2nd Cir.1996)), UniCredit Group( as Owner), UniCredit Group(as successor in interest to Bank Austria AG and Bank Austria d/b/a UniCredit USA Inc. and UniCredit Cap. Markets Inc. and Bank Austria s/h/a as def. in re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK),AHVRAM etal v Bank Austria et al 04-3600(SWK)), Paul D. Wachter(Court Appointed Chairman, Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98-3938(SWK)), Paul D. Wachter(Court Appointed Special Master in AOL Time Warner Securities 02-5575(SWK) and Manager of "Kram Family Trust"), Richard H. Dolan(Individually), Richard H. Dolan(as partner of Schlam Stone and Dolan), Richard H. Dolan(Court Approved Counsel to Claims Committee in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)("Amicus Curaie" to Judge Kram in 2nd Cir.) in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Lit. 98-3938(SWK)), Miriam M. Robinson, Walter Zifkin, David H. Pikus, United States District Court for Southern District of New York(Individually), United States District Court for Southern District of New York(as cust. of rec.of Hon.Shirley W. Kram, USDJ,Assig.Dist.Judge in re:Austria & German Bank Holoc. Lit. 98cv3938(SWK), Kluge et al v Raiffesen Zentralbank et al 00cv2851(SWK), Whiteman v Dorotheum 00cv8006(SWK), AHVRAM v Bank Austria 04cv3600 (SWK)), Alfonse M. D'Amato, Charles Moerdler(Individually), Charles Moerdler(as partner of Stroock, Stroock & Lavan), Charles Moerdler(as Defendants' counsel in Re: Austrian and German Bank Holocaust Litigation 98cv3938 (SWK) and AHVRAM et al v Bank Austria et al 04cv3600(SWK) "Amicus Curaie" in Whiteman et al v Dorotheum et al 00cv 8006(SWK)), Charles Moerdler(Crt. App.Sp.Master in Ackerman v Copelco Cap.Corp.91-6860,Lesser v Corn 89-4866,Re:Take Two Inter.Sec.Lit. Fenninger v TakeTwo Inter.Soft. 06-803,Andrews vTake Two Int.Soft. 06-987 Kaplan v TakeTwo Int.Soft. 06-1131,Toth v Take Two Int. Soft. 06-1733(SWK)), U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (ama) (Entered: 01/08/2009)

01/06/2009 Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck is so designated. (ama) (Entered: 01/08/2009)

01/06/2009 Case Designated ECF. (ama) (Entered: 01/08/2009)