NY Attorney Allegedly Forges Judge's Signature

10/26/07

The case? Jeff and Deborah Yahney "accused [their neighbors] Joe and Orsola Wolforst of negligently building a retaining wall and berm, resulting in water damage to the Yahneys' property due to the changed grade of their land."

In June 2003, the Yahneys hired Laurence S. Jurman to sue their neighbors. A few days later, "a summons and complaint was filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court and an index number assigned." And the Yahneys believed their case was well on its way.

As they should, with Jurman reassuring them that everything was proceeding normally. The attorney even provided the couple with a copy of an answer to their summons and complaint, dated August 13, 2003.

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Jurman also "advised the Yahneys that the Wolforsts had retained Ciotti & Damm of Mineola, N.Y., and that they had moved to vacate the defendants' previously adjudicated default. Around June of this year, Jurman allegedly told the Yahneys that [Supreme Court Justice William] Rebolini had denied the Wolforsts' motion to vacate the default, and then showed them the purported order. He advised them that he was preparing for a trial on damages that remained unscheduled," says an article on Law.com.

It was later discovered, however, that Jurman allegedly forged Rebolini's signature that said he had denied the motion.

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Growing impatient at the pace of their case, the Yahneys investigated on their own and "discovered that their summons and complaint had not been served on the defendants; that the action had never been assigned to a Judicial Part; and that no motions were interposed herein nor orders issued by the court in this action," wrote Burke.

The Yahneys fired Jurman, filed another complaint, and hired new attorney, Harvey Savitt, to take over the case.

Savitt said, "They had an attorney who convinced them that everything was hunky-dory."

Jurman appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to possessing a forged document. If, however, he is found guilty, he could face 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison.