Disabled combat veteran John “Jack” Cunningham brought allegations
of legal malpractice charges and attorney ethics violations against the law firm Maynard
and Truland, which had represented him during a court action two years previously. Jack's allegations
included gross negligence, dubious billing practices, misstatements to the Court, coming to
court unprepared, etc. Evidence that Jack submitted included the law firm’s own invoices, their contract, attorney certifications,
court filed letters, documents, and sworn statements.
Robert Correale, an attorney with Maynard and Truland, represented his law firm in Jack’s
legal malpractice grievance in Superior Court. At this time, Jack learned that besides Robert Correale serving as a general
practice attorney for Maynard & Truland, Correale was serving as a local, New Jersey district attorney,
as well of serving on the extremely influential, New Jersey Supreme Court’s Attorney
Ethics committee of District X. Correale was listed on Maynard & Truland’s own website
that he was the vice-chairman of this Supreme Court committee. The current director of this powerful
state agency admits Correale was a member of District X, but denies Correale was vice-chairman.
Robert Correale, James Maynard and Joe Truland had much to lose, if they were found guilty of legal malpractice,
but even more important, the State of New Jersey had even more to lose. What would be the impact locally, state-wide
and nationally, if one of their members of New Jersey's Supreme Court Office of Attorney Ethics was found guilty
of legal malpractice. The embarrassment alone would be a tremendous disaster.
But evidence is evidence. Against the objections of Robert Correale, Sussex County Superior Court Judge Ronald
Graves determined that the evidence presented by Jack Cunningham warranted the civil case
be brought to the Superior Court Law Division for pursuit of
damages.
When Jack brought
the case there, the Superior Court’s transcript containing Judge Graves determination
was unexplainably missing. Jack’s civil case was later dismissed for lack of merit.
A later investigation by Cunningham's state senator, the
Superior Court of New Jersey, which lost the transcript, could not provide an explanation
as to how a court transcript from within its own courthouse had
disappeared as if in a puff of smoke.
With Robert Correale
and Maynard & Truland saved in Superior Court by
a missing court transcript audio, the former client still wanted to bring them to
justice. Jack brought attorney
ethics allegations against the law firm, Maynard & Truland and Robert Correale to the New
Jersey Supreme Court’s Office of Attorney Ethics. Senior staff of this extremely
powerful, New Jersey Supreme Court ethics agency insisted that Robert Correale’s
own attorney ethics committee must carry out the investigation
against him and his law firm. Not trained in law, Jack Cunningham still knew
immediately this was a gross, Conflict of Interest. Jack could not understand why senior officials, who were
attorneys themselves, in this important New Jersey Supreme Court agency did not understand
this fact of a Conflict of Interest.
After months of Jack's persistent inquiries, the Office's senior staff
finally admitted to the conflict of interest and an investigation was
launched by a different Supreme Court District committee from the next New Jersey county.
Correale and a second attorney from his law firm of Maynard & Truland were required
to present sworn certifications. A third attorney was allowed a pass. The
senior law partner of Maynard and Truland wrote a cover letter to accompany
these documents. The lawyers provided no attached evidence. However, the disabled
veteran provided the same evidence as he did for the Superior Court case: Maynard & Truland's
contact, their invoices, court filed letters, court filed documents, etc.
Robert Correale was so desperate to clear his and his fellow lawyers'
names, he openly mocked Jack Cunningham's PTSD disability in these same sworn certifications
to New Jersey's Supreme Court.
During
Jack’s review of the attorneys' sworn certifications, he found misleading,
perjury and vague statements throughout the sworn documents
and its cover letter. Within two weeks of Jack’s questioning the sworn certifications
as being fraudulent, Robert Correale resigned his Supreme Court
position, fifteen months before his term was set to expire.
However,
seven months after resigning, Correale and his firm, Maynard and Truland, were
cleared of all ethics allegations by the Office of Attorney Ethics. The perjury-filled
sworn certifications have never been addressed despite Jack having written to four (4)
consecutive New Jersey Governors, Attorney Generals, and multiple Supreme Court and Superior
Court judges requesting an investigation. New Jersey
Governor Chris Christie is a friend of the Maynard & Truland attorneys having served
together in the same New Jersey town. After years of him being governor, Christie's staff still
plays dumb about this request for an investigation.
All attempts by Jack to bring state and federal criminal charges against
Robert Correale, the firm Maynard & Truland and those in state
government who are shielding them, have failed.
Now the
State of New Jersey states that the statute of limitations is in play, but Jack
Cunningham will not give up. He learned that since there is government fraud involved, there is NO statute
of limitations.
He still wants to bring Maynard & Truland, Robert
Correale and all those state government officials, who have protected them, to justice.
