| ► Attorney Richard Canatella of San Francisco; ethical leper-con |
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Attorney Richard Canatella of San Francisco; ethical leper-con 
The state of California provided Richard A. Canatella with a law license in 1972 after he graduated from the University of California Hastings Law College. .
Richard admitted to filing numerous frivolous legal actions in courts in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Santa Clara country courts, as well as in the California Court of Appeal and federal district and appeals courts.
Six (6) filings were civil matters Dick filed relating to a criminal case wherein he represented a babysitter who was convicted of 2nd degree murder and felony child abuse. The cases, filed on behalf of the babysitter and her parents, who owned the house where she lived, included legal malpractice, insurance bad faith, and allegations that various defendants conspired to deprive his clients of their constitutional rights. How does one go about violating the constitutional rights of a convicted murderer?
On at least thirty-seven (37) occasions courts ordered sanctions to be imposed against Dick and/or his clients. Judge repeatedly found Dick responsible for frivolous, meritless and vexatious actions. Sanctions against Dick totaled more than $18,000 in one matter, and the opposing parties were granted all fees and costs in another.
In once case, a federal judge said, “This compliant is a paradigm for frivolous.” Another federal judge wrote “Plaintiff’s repeated attempt to challenge the sanctions and judgments … in the face of clear authority that his claim is frivolous evidences bad faith and wrongful purpose.”
As a consequence of his misconduct, the supporters for Attorney Misfits sitting on the California Bar Court punished Richard by gifting him with a stayed 18-month suspension of his law license. In truth, the comedians sitting on the Bar Court didn’t actually mete out any real punishment to Richard.
As we speak (ca. August 2012) Richard practices with Cotter & Del Carlo at 4610 Mission Street in San Francisco, California.
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