Court Roundup

New York Ex-lawyer gets probation; stole from NY pastor NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP) -- A disbarred lawyer who admitted stealing over $52,000 from a Bronx pastor has been sentenced to probation. Rockland County Judge William Nelson told Raymond Perez on Tuesday that he won't have to do jail time because he has repaid the money. According to the Journal News, the defendant pilfered an escrow account. It was supposed to be used to buy property for the pastor's small Bronx congregation. The judge had given Perez a year to repay the money after his grand larceny conviction. He made the final installment last week. The prosecution had sought jail time. Perez could have faced up to six years. Tennessee Knox judge won't release files on disgraced jurist KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A judge has denied a request by the Knoxville News Sentinel to unseal records involving former Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner, who resigned after he was accused of illegally buying painkillers. The records are part of requests for a new trial by four people convicted in the 2007 torture slayings of 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom. At a hearing on Tuesday, News Sentinel attorney Richard Hollow argued that disclosure of a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation file would harm no one but Baumgartner, who has pleaded guilty to official misconduct (http://bit.ly/tuoTft). Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood said the disclosure could harm innocent people. However, he promised to make public whatever information he relies on in determining the requests for a new trial at a Dec. 1 hearing. Kentucky Sisters settle suit over Social Security cards LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A pair of southeastern Kentucky sisters will get Social Security numbers and cards after settling a lawsuit with the federal government. Raechel and Stephanie Schultz of Lily, Ky., sued the U.S. State Department and Social Security Administration in July, after being denied a passport and a Social Security card for lack of documentation proving they are citizens. Neither was born in a hospital and their births were recorded only in a family Bible, but otherwise undocumented. In 2009, the women sued in state court to get birth certificates and won a judge's order granting them the records. Under the settlement, the State Department will issue passport cards to the sisters, who can then use those cards to apply for and receive a Social Security number. New York Lawyer pleads guilty in immigration case NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal authorities say a Manhattan lawyer has pleaded guilty to participating in an immigration smuggling ring. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara says Hak Tung Lam used his expertise to aid smugglers who exploited immigrants. Lam worked with others to smuggle dozens of Chinese nationals into the United States from October 2006 to February 2009. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to a conspiracy charge. It carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He also agreed to forfeit $750,000. His sentencing is scheduled for March 2012. Published: Fri, Nov 25, 2011