UPDATED: [VIDEO] Judge Says Lindsay Lohan's Lawyer Is Incompetent
Posted by Joseph Lee on 03.01.2013
Michael Lohan says he'll find her a good lawyer...
UPDATE: TMZ spoke with Michael Lohan about Lindsay's criminal case and he agrees with the judge that Mark Heller is incompetent.
He said he's found a California criminal defense lawyer who will take the case and Michael will pay for the lawyer's fee.
He said: "This guy is a loser and will drag her down. I already started to pray to God that Lindsay fires him before it's too late. Any professional, respectable, or sure-footed lawyer would never conduct himself in this matter. This guy has 2 left feet that keep leading him into a wall."
Original: TMZ reports that the judge in Lindsay Lohan's criminal case says that her lawyer, Mark Heller, is incompetent.
Judge Jim Dabney tore into Mark Heller during a hearing today, saying he was incompetent to practice law in California and said that Lohan should either get a new lawyer who knows what he's doing or she has to come into court and waive her right to a California lawyer.
The judge said that Heller messed up the legal documents by not following California law, and the motion to dismiss charges was denied. Heller tried to blame the previous lawyer but his paperwork was so flawed the argument was ignored. The judge said that Heller doesn't know anything about criminal law and questioned if he was fit to handle the case. The lawyer who is sponsoring Heller (from California) didn't show up and the judge mentioned it. The sponsor has never practiced law in her life.
Prosecutor Terry White said he's ready for trial on March 18. Heller told the judge that he needed to show Lohan "mercy and compassion." There was no mention of the ongoing plea bargain negotiations. The last word was that lawyers on both sides discussed a plea but couldn't agree on punishment.
Heller responded to the criticisms after the hearing. While outside the courthouse, he said he didn't think he was being called "incompetent" outright and that he was simply told things are handled differently in California than New York. He said: "Having become a lawyer over 44 YEARS AGO, I certainly know the important issues."
He added that Lohan is having psychotherapy and a voluntary drug screening as proof she is turning her life around. He added that he is exploring his options in regards to getting a new lawyer to help him.
Finally, when told that Michael Lohan called him a terrible attorney, he replied: "I wish Michael Lohan the best."
