Judge Travis Richardson of Chicago; greedy loser

The state Illinois presented Travis Richardson with a law license in 1997 after he graduated from DePaul University School of Law.  

The Attorney Registration and and Disciplinary Commission found Travis guilty of the following misconduct

• Obtained a contingent fee without a written fee agreement in a property forfeiture matter
• Represented client in effort to recover $74,000 seized by Ohio state troopers when they stopped his van for speeding
• Travis told client it would cost $3,000 as a retainer as well as a contingent fee if they succeeded in recovering the $74,000 seized in Ohio
• Two months after Travis filed petition to recover the $74,000, he received call from U.S. attorney’s office admitting it lacked any basis to seize the money and would return it forthwith
• After receipt of U.S. attorney’s admission, Travis sent the client a fee agreement stating he would receive 35% of the $74,000 that was being returned
• Upon receipt of the fee agreement, the client objected that Travis’ 35% demand was not part of the original agreement
• The client then fired Travis and several days later the $74,000 check arrived at Travis’ office, made payable to the client and Travis
• Upon receipt of the $74,000 check, Travis sent the client a check for $51,542 and retained the balance for himself
• After the client filed an ethics complaint against Travis, he returned $14,000 to the client

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Illinois Supreme Court punished Travis by gifting him with a complimentary censure.

As we speak (ca. March 2019), Travis currently sits at as Cook County circuit judge by appointment at The Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago, Illinois, and is a candidate for a full term in the 2^nd sub-circuit.