Ex-Client Of Erika Jayne’s Husband Tom Girardi Refusing To Testify In State Bar’s Investigation Into Disgraced Attorney
Nov. 7 2022, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
The State Bar Of California’s investigation into Erika Jayne’s husband/disbarred attorney Tom Girardi has turned nasty with one witness refusing to testify, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Girardi, 83, was once a well-respected Los Angeles lawyer who ran the firm Girardi Keese. In 2020, he and his firm were forced into bankruptcy by his many creditors.
Ex-clients accused Girardi of running his law firm like a Ponzi scheme. Many had the same story — Girardi secured them a financial settlement in a legal dispute but had excuses when it came time to pay it out.
Jayne stands accused of benefitting from her husband’s alleged embezzlement. Recently, Girardi was disbarred by the State Bar and an investigation was launched into how the Bar handled complaints against Jayne’s husband.
It was revealed this week that The State Bar Of California overlooked hundreds of complaints filed against Girardi over the years.
“The handling of the Girardi matters brought to light serious failures in the State Bar’s attorney discipline system, failures that have contributed to a lack of confidence in the State Bar’s ability to carry out our core responsibility of protecting the public,” chairperson Ruben Duran wrote on behalf of the State Bar’s Board of Trustees.
He added, “[He] caused irreparable harm to hundreds of his clients, and the State Bar could have done more to protect the public. We can never allow something like this to happen again.”
As RadarOnline.com first reported, back in September, the State Bar accused a confidential witness of refusing to show up and answer questions about Girardi as part of the investigation.
The complaint said the State Bar had served a valid subpoena on the witness which directed them to testify and turn over documents.
The State Bar demanded the witness be ordered to appear in court.
Now, the witness has come forward and revealed themselves to be a woman named Sonja Oehler.
Oehler previously worked for the State Bar as an administrative assistant before being terminated. In 2016, she hired Girardi to bring a case against the State Bar for alleged falsification of disciplinary cases.
She was seeking $15 million in damages. In her response to the State Bar’s demand for her to testify, Oehler said the Bar is prohibited from deposing her due to the settlement they reached in her case.
She said the settlement released any and all claims along with any demands from the State Bar in the future. Oehler demanded the court not force her to testify and shut down the State Bar.
The judge has yet to rule on the matter.