Written by: Michael Phillips
Staunton, VA - In an unexpected twist of Augusta County courtroom drama, Bradley Pollack, a member of the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors, found himself subject to a surprising dressing down from a Circuit Court Judge. Pollack, who is also a lawyer, was there to represent a former reality TV actress in her lawsuit against a Virginia attorney. Breaking Through correspondent Bonnie Chapman was there and gave Breaking Through this exclusive report.
The Circuit Court Judge, appointed to deal with case because it involved a locally practicing attorney, announced in court that he was one of three judges who served on the disciplinary committee that recently reviewed a complaint against Pollack, and recommended suspending his law license. According to Chapman, the Judge admonished Pollack for not notifying him of his participation in the case earlier, expressing that he would not have accepted the case had he been properly informed.
The rebuke didn’t stop there. The Judge lambasted Pollack for his continued acceptance of new clients, pointing out that Pollack’s law license was set to be revoked on September 1. Chapman further noted that Pollack's client, a relatively minor figure from reality television, looked on in shock as the Judge criticized Pollack's conduct.
Despite Pollack's attempts to convince the Judge that he was not requesting his recusal, the Judge decided to remove himself from the case, according to our correspondent. The case is now on hold until a new judge can be assigned.
This is not the first disciplinary incident involving Pollack, according to records from the Virginia State Bar. According to Court documents filed in the case, the Virginia State Bar has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Pollack on at least five previous occasions. The most recent action resulted in a six-month suspension of his law license.
The case that led to this suspension involved a violation of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct, where Pollack mishandled client funds, according to documents filed in the matter. The suspension was confirmed after Pollack challenged the validity of his 2005 two-year suspension, alleging procedural irregularities and ineligible judges, according to the same records.
The disciplinary proceedings revealed multiple violations over time, with Pollack having been found to have violated the rules on every occasion the Bar initiated proceedings against him. The violations ranged from mishandling his trust account to inappropriate handling of client funds.
While Pollack continues to serve on the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors, it is unclear how these ongoing legal and ethical troubles might impact his future career in law and public service. Despite the dramatic events in court, Pollack has yet to release a public statement about the matter.
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