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Lawyer of the Day: Joseph Ziccardi
(And Client of the Day: Aaron F**king Wider)

foot in mouth.gif"That's Wider, W-I-D-E-R. Got it, f**k face? You're welcome."

We thought that this deposition was one of the more colorful ones out there. But it pales in comparison to the deposition described by Shannon Duffy in today's Legal Intelligencer:

A federal judge has levied sanctions of more than $29,000 on a lawyer and his client after finding that a deposition was a "spectacular failure" because of the client's constant use of vulgar language and insults and dodging or refusing to answer questions, and his lawyer's failure to rein him in.

In his 44-page opinion in GMAC Bank v. HTFC Corp. (PDF), U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno found that Aaron Wider, the CEO of HTFC, engaged in "hostile, uncivil, and vulgar conduct, which persisted throughout the nearly 12 hours of deposition testimony."

Robreno noted that Wider used the "F word" or variations of it 73 times during the deposition and that the video shows that his lawyer, Joseph R. Ziccardi of Chicago, at one point "snickered" at his client's conduct. Ziccardi was also to blame, Robreno found, because he failed to stop his client's tirades and persuade him to answer questions.

The F-word does indeed have many variants. See Sterling Johnson, English as a Second F*cking Language; Jesse Sheidlower, The F Word: Second Edition.

Read more about the deposition's dirty details, after the jump.

Writers are constantly told: "Show, don't tell." So let's look at the record evidence:

In one passage, GMAC's lawyer, Robert B. Bodzin of Kleinbard Bell & Brecker in Philadelphia, asked Wider to open a file so that Bodzin could ask questions about certain documents.

According to the transcript, as quoted in Robreno's opinion, Wider erupted, saying: "'I'm taking a break. F**k him. You open up the document. You want me to look at something, you get the document out. Earn your f**king money, a**hole. Isn't the law wonderful?'"

Especially when you have such charming clients!

In another passage, Bodzin said: "We're going to adjourn this deposition if this happens again because you are offending every single person."

According to Robreno's opinion, Wider responded: "'Don't speak for anybody in here except yourself f**k face.'"

When Bodzin said he was speaking for himself and the court reporter, Wider said: "'If she had a problem with me she would say something. She knows it's [not] directed toward her. It's directed to you because you're a piece of s**t and a piece of garbage and I'm the only person in your life that is f**king up your world and I enjoy it.'"

These are just excerpts. Read the whole piece, which details additional rude and abusive comments, over here. Or check out Judge Robreno's opinion by clicking here (PDF).

Lawyer and Client Sanctioned Over Client's Conduct, Use of 'F Word' During Deposition [Legal Intelligencer]
GMAC Bank v. HTFC Corp. (PDF)
Joseph R. Ziccardi bio [Ziccardi Law Offices]
How to Handle a Tough Deposition Question [YouTube]


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Comments

FUCKING FIRST

Holy Canoli.

I'm tired of these mutha f***ing clients in a mutha f***ing deposition!!!

PIN CITES PLEASE.

Wider should be shot.

captioning above the above picture: "Open fucking mouth, insert fucking foot."

Could you upload the video please???

At multiple points during the deposition, Wider would follow his inappropriate, obstructive, or dilatory remarks with a gleeful smirk directed at his counsel, at the transcriptionist, and even directly at the camera. See, e.g., Wider Dep. Video, Nov. 11, 2007, at 10:38:00-:30; Wider Dep. Video, Sept. 26, 2007, at 16 10:45:00-:30, 15:27:00-:30. In fact, after a particularly odious instance of obstruction, Wider would even pat himself on the back, flaunting his exploitation of the deposition process, and asking, “Isn’t the law wonderful?”

The recipe for subprime rib:
Add one dash of Wider or his ilk, a subhuman piece of garbage selling craptastic loans to poors, and one dash of CWT or similarly situated low rent law jackals to securitize his garbage loans.

Why would the attorney put up with that shit for 12 hours? 2 or 3 tops then file a motion.

"Why would the attorney put up with that shit for 12 hours? 2 or 3 tops then file a motion. "

Read the order. If the plaintiff's attorney had adjourned after 2 or 3 hours, the judge might not have been so harsh.

After the fact summary, Wider's attorney looks bad for trying to defend that shit.

What is Zaccardi's clerkship bonus?

28 Cardozo L. Rev. 1711

And you know Zaccardi's going to be the one paying the fines, because Wider sure isn't going to. Joint and several liability bites the lawyer back.

The opposing attorney showed great restraint.


Was that a depo or a Jerky Boyz tape?

Hilarious.

"In one passage, GMAC's lawyer, Robert B. Bodzin of Kleinbard Bell & Brecker in Philadelphia, asked Wider to open a file so that Bodzin could ask questions about certain documents.

According to the transcript, as quoted in Robreno's opinion, Wider erupted, saying: "'I'm taking a break. Fuck him. You open up the document. You want me to look at something, you get the document out. Earn your fucking money, asshole. Isn't the law wonderful?'"

That's only 1 F-bomb every 10 minutes. What's the big f*cking deal? It's fairly standard to double that hourly output in Portsmouth.

yowza.

Portsmouth salary post, PLEASE!

Might want to clarify that that's not Judge Sterling Johnson of the EDNY, though it would be cool as hell if it were.

A: You want to know what color I wipe my ass with?

--Crayon eater.

This guy Wider cursed like a sailer, therefore, he must be a pirate, therefore I would not be suprised if the judge who bested him was a NINJA.

Can I just say I tried to read that opinion but stopped after the first exceptionally ill-written paragraph?

Although I don't really condone Mr. Wider's conduct, I do understand it and respect it, to some degree. Lenders like GMAC "looked the other way" when forceful aggressive types like Mr. Wider sold loans to poor people who had no hopes of paying them off, and accomplished these sales largely through bullying tactics (and then banks reaped large fees for re-packaging and selling the loans to the investing community, including pension funds, etc.). Now, when this Ponzi scheme has been exposed and the subprime mortgage debacle is collapsing, they are trying to pass the blame onto their little pit bull, and big surprise, the pit bull bites back.

Phallic shoe in mouth to 190!

Mr. Wider is a great humanitarian!

According to Wider's response to a negative story in New York Newsday:

HTFC Corporation is a proud sponsor of City Relief, Ronald McDonald House, Bowery Mission, Kids with a Promise and many other charitable organizations.

Source: http://www.fraudblogger.com/HTFC112807.asp

Eagle,

What bullying tactics are you talking about? The cause of our country's mortgage problems, and the solution, are described here:

http://consumerist.com/consumer/clips/snl-skit-dont-buy-stuff-you-cant-afford-252491.php

You beat the WSJ Law Blog to this one. Nice work Lat.

uh, lat, please refrain from overtly suggestive/homoerotic clipart pics. thanks.

Am I the only one bored today??? Here's my favorites:

Q. Have you spoken to Mr. Petinton about the subpoena
he received for documents?
A. He mentioned [it] to me. He laughed at you.
Q. What did he say?
A. He thought you were a joke.


Q. All right, sir.
A. And I’ll tell you what uncivil and what
uncourteous is. Telling you to go fuck yourself is uncivil. If you ask a question, I’m going to give you a response. If you pry into my father’s death, I’m going to give you a response. If you fuck with my mental illness, I’m going to give you
a response. And if you threaten to put me in front of a judge, let’s do it. I got all the time in the day, all the time in the day, and the judge will restrain you.
Q. Are you done, sir?
A. No, I’m not. We’re just beginning.

Q. What was the purpose--
A. None of your--
Q. --for buying a property for $525,000 and on the same
day, conveying it to a trust, and then conveying it back to you for $1,150,000?
A. None of your business.
Q. No, [it] is my business.
A. It’s none of you[r] business. This is the law. Look it up.
Q. My question is what is your purpose?
A. I’m answering your question, okay. I’m a doctor of law. I’m not here to teach you. You come to my university, you pay for it. It’s on a need-to-know
basis. You don’t need to know.

Q. My question is where are you currently employed?
A. I’m not. I just told [you] I work for free.
Q. Okay. You’re not employed by HTFC Corporation?
A. No, I own HTFC Corporation. Be specific.
Q. Okay. And what do the initials HTFC mean?
A. Hit That Fuckin’ Clown. That’s what it means. It’s an acronym.

Q. You don’t know where you lived?
A. No, I don’t.
Q. You don’t know where you lived?
A. According to you, I’ve got psychiatric issues. So I can’t recall. You remember that.

Motion for ass-licking? (THE WITNESS: We’re having a conference tomorrow, Bob. Why don’t you get a motion from the Judge because he’s going to give you an ass licking.) How does one style that motion? How's the prayer for relief read? "WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Defendant demands judgment of, from and against Plaintiff, to include that the Judge personally deliver an ass licking and all costs of Court herein accruing."

Particularly Rules 30 and 37
do not take presidence over our constituitions first amendement right of free speech. It’s a procedure not a law therefore his ruling is unconstitional. An idea put into action is worth more than a million opinions even if it fails. I used the F word 73 times because I can afford it.
I also demonstrated to all that I have no fear & challenged the system. Larry Flynt represented porn and was considereed filth during his time yet revolutionized
a new industry that is existent in every city across the country. Why do I have to be sanctioned to fight for your constituitional rights. Without people like me you would have no rights!!!!!! The F word is not a definable word. Its an acronym for Fornication Under Consent of the King. To all your attorneys that are plugged in to this blog. An acronym with no defintion which represents
a phrase is not a crime. I challenge anyone to disporove it. The Supreme Court of the United States would find the judges ruling entertaining and would be reversed. In regards to the videos’s of the depositions. It is the intellectual property of Aaron Wider Double PHD. which is for sale. Everything that has happened has been a business decision. Controversy sells! The F word was used meticulously to piss off plantiff’s counsel.


Particularly Rules 30 and 37
do not take presidence over our constituitions first amendement right of free speech. It’s a procedure not a law therefore his ruling is unconstitional. An idea put into action is worth more than a million opinions even if it fails. I used the F word 73 times because I can afford it.
I also demonstrated to all that I have no fear & challenged the system. Larry Flynt represented porn and was considereed filth during his time yet revolutionized
a new industry that is existent in every city across the country. Why do I have to be sanctioned to fight for your constituitional rights. Without people like me you would have no rights!!!!!! The F word is not a definable word. Its an acronym for Fornication Under Consent of the King. To all your attorneys that are plugged in to this blog. An acronym with no defintion which represents
a phrase is not a crime. I challenge anyone to disporove it. The Supreme Court of the United States would find the judges ruling entertaining and would be reversed. In regards to the videos’s of the depositions. It is the intellectual property of Aaron Wider Double PHD. which is for sale. Everything that has happened has been a business decision. Controversy sells! The F word was used meticulously to piss off plantiff’s counsel.


If this barbarian even represents a small part of the attitude and thinking of the mortgage industry, it's no wonder the bottom is falling out. They serve only the client they see in the mirror - themselves. Anyone else, according to Mr. Wider, can go f*ck themselves. This man and others of his ilk deserve nothing less than prison and the loss of all liquid assets to cover the losses of those they tricked into their webs of mortgage deceit.

Absolutely brilliant!! Most people are scared to death and intimidated during a deposition. I have never seen anyone take control like Mr. Wider. I do not know what his agenda is, but whatever it is, it is more likely than not working.