http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/11118142/

5/19/2012 7:18:57 AM

Quote :

""I must admit that, because I trusted Mr. Crouch, I did not read the orders when they were presented to me," Ruth said. Had I read the orders, I would not have signed them.""

5/19/2012 8:17:00 AM

James Crouch is the man.

5/19/2012 9:25:06 PM

no he isn't


[Edited on May 19, 2012 at 9:29 PM. Reason : .]

5/19/2012 9:26:01 PM

well he kept me out of prison, so I'm happy

5/19/2012 9:27:15 PM

kept a couple of speeding tickets from touching my record so I'm happy

5/19/2012 9:32:50 PM

Good thing he didn't have her sign something like power of attorney if she wasn't reading shit

5/19/2012 9:38:13 PM

James Crouch is still the man.

I like how this scandal involves a hot judge.

5/19/2012 9:39:16 PM

aha, thats pretty baller

5/19/2012 10:52:23 PM

Crouch was going on vacation and didn't want to stick around town and defend his clients on their real court date, so he just showed up a couple weeks early and said lets handle this shit today.

And they said OK.

And when the newspaper finds out, the JUDGE apologizes and resigns.

I know you guys have always said he could make DUI's magically disappear, but this man is truly the stuff of legends.



[Edited on May 19, 2012 at 11:04 PM. Reason : .]

5/19/2012 11:03:15 PM

Quote :

"but this man [was] truly the stuff of legends."

5/19/2012 11:17:33 PM

i doubt they disbar him for that

5/20/2012 12:53:45 AM

I hired James Crouch one time.
Then I got a letter saying my license was being revoked for failure to appear.
Called his office and was told they had plead it down to a charge that wouldn't affect my insurance.

Took over a year and a half to resolve. At one point I was "failure to appear" according to the court. Several months later it was "guilty" to the original charge according to the court. I want to say that at one point I was guilty on the original charge + guilty on the charge they supposedly plead it down to according to the court.

Whatever the case, it took 1.5-2 years to resolve as I generally found out there was a problem every 6 months when my insurance renewed. I wasted a ton of time on the phone and had a ton of undue stress which is exactly what I wanted to avoid when I paid a legal professional to handle the ticket for me. I paid approximately 2 years of inflated insurance rates + the lawyer fees. I might as well have just plead guilty and paid the ticket in the first place.

This is my personal recollection of events from several years ago. Obviously I cannot remember all the details exactly, so take it for what it's worth. I would not refer Manning & Crouch again after my experience with their office.

[Edited on May 20, 2012 at 1:34 AM. Reason : l]

5/20/2012 1:24:21 AM

I wanted to hire him once because of everything I read on TWW, but he was really busy with some criminal case. Sure you're going to be occupied with other business sometimes, that's fine, you're a business. But the receptionist wouldn't really own up to it and strung me along with my phone calls until I hired someone else.

Obviously, I can't say much about him from that. But if you just want to get someone who can do the standard continuation, continuation, plea for a lower penalty then there are plenty of well-resourced firms around. I think the hard part is the fact that most of us have little to no reference for what is a good outcome for our specific cases in the specific court.

[Edited on May 20, 2012 at 2:00 AM. Reason : ]

5/20/2012 1:58:45 AM

For the record, his office claimed it was an error by the clerk of court every time.

I never felt like I got the true story, but if the clerk of court makes that many errors then maybe they should have followed up to make sure things were recorded properly rather than me finding out every six months when my insurance renews.

5/20/2012 1:59:45 AM

Quote :

"maybe they should have followed up to make sure things were recorded properly rather than me finding out every six months when my insurance renews."

This sounds like a bad way to check your driving record.

see
/message_topic.aspx?topic=389230&page=12

b/c TWW is the reference for everything.

Quote :

"^NC DMV website https://edmv-dr.dot.state.nc.us/DrivingRecords/DrivingRecords"

Would this check have told you the status of your case instead of having to wait for the insurance? Maybe you just didn't know about it, I don't know.

5/20/2012 2:09:35 AM

I dont always get in trouble for misleading a judge,
But when I do its a hot blonde one.

5/20/2012 8:44:45 AM

Skack, this is the exact same thing that happened to me. They said it was a clerical error. Got my licensed suspended and then revoked, took 1.5 years to fix.

It was just a simple speeding ticket

Quote :

" I hired James Crouch one time. Then I got a letter saying my license was being revoked for failure to appear. Called his office and was told they had plead it down to a charge that wouldn't affect my insurance. Took over a year and a half to resolve. At one point I was "failure to appear" according to the court. Several months later it was "guilty" to the original charge according to the court. I want to say that at one point I was guilty on the original charge + guilty on the charge they supposedly plead it down to according to the court. Whatever the case, it took 1.5-2 years to resolve as I generally found out there was a problem every 6 months when my insurance renewed. I wasted a ton of time on the phone and had a ton of undue stress which is exactly what I wanted to avoid when I paid a legal professional to handle the ticket for me. I paid approximately 2 years of inflated insurance rates + the lawyer fees. I might as well have just plead guilty and paid the ticket in the first place. This is my personal recollection of events from several years ago. Obviously I cannot remember all the details exactly, so take it for what it's worth. I would not refer Manning & Crouch again after my experience with their office. "

5/20/2012 1:08:07 PM

Quote :

"well he kept me out of prison, so I'm happy"

oh really, what did you do?

5/20/2012 2:20:55 PM

^well justice was served so nothing obviously

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/20/2012 2:43:48 PM

^hahahaha

5/20/2012 2:44:40 PM

haha I voted for Judge Kristen Ruth

funny she's using Gammon as her defense attorney.

Her and Crouch had quite the racket going. My friend's DUI case is pending with Crouch now, I told him he should claim misrepresentation and get it thrown out but he doesn't want to do it to Crouch, because he's helped him out of tons of other shit.

5/20/2012 3:04:36 PM

Quote :

"This sounds like a bad way to check your driving record. "

I put a lot of thought into that at the time and came to the conclusion that when I hire a professional to do a job I should be able to count on the job being done.

When I pay a mechanic to change my brakes I don't drive home, put my car on jack stands, remove the wheel, and verify that they did it properly. I trust that my brakes have been changed. Otherwise I would just do it myself.

And I honestly don't think I ever got the true story. The first time I called in I did not tell them about the failure to appear even though I had received that letter from the state. I simply asked what the resolution to my case was. The secretary pulled my case file and spent a couple minutes sounding confused. She told me the case was closed from their perspective, but she did not know what the resolution was. I was told she would have to check on a few things and call me back. That leads me to believe they really did mess up and miss my court date, but I don't think I'll ever know what really happened.

Quote :

"Skack, this is the exact same thing that happened to me. They said it was a clerical error. Got my licensed suspended and then revoked, took 1.5 years to fix. It was just a simple speeding ticket"

The plot thickens...
Actually, I was aware that it happened to you and was hoping you would speak up too. I think you made a thread about it back when it happened and we PM'ed a little about it. I initiated the PMs because I had just been through my ordeal and was wondering if your issue was with the same law office.

[Edited on May 20, 2012 at 3:34 PM. Reason : l]

5/20/2012 3:27:30 PM

well, I'll admit he can be a little difficult to get up with on certain things, and I got the run around from his office staff for months on getting parts of my probation changed. But he did get alot of charges reduced to one for me, and 18 months probation is alot better than 148 months in prison. and he didnt charge me that much either. will I use hime again? probably not. I think part of the problem is he just takes on more cases than he can actually handle, so people he's already worked with get shafted, while he takes on new clients.

5/20/2012 3:45:11 PM

Quote :

"For the record, his office claimed it was an error by the clerk of court every time."

I can't say why, but this was probably the case.

5/20/2012 3:55:57 PM

5/20/2012 4:07:33 PM

OH SHIT

Quote :

"Breaking News: A Wake County grand jury has indicted former District Judge Kristin Ruth, defense attorney James Crouch and an assistant in Crouch's office on charges that they conspired to alter court records in several drunken driving cases."

I am going to stop speeding now.

6/26/2012 1:16:56 PM

This could get interesting.

6/26/2012 1:19:11 PM

if by interesting, you mean they need to go to jail, then yes!

6/26/2012 1:20:00 PM

Hmm, I wonder if there's enough evidence for conspiracy. I'm not sure. And would this technically be altering court records? Or just an ethics violation for being sneaky?

[Edited on June 26, 2012 at 1:24 PM. Reason : ]

6/26/2012 1:23:22 PM

They are represented by some of the best attorneys in the area.

Crouch has Joe Cheshire

Ruth has Rick Gammon

6/26/2012 1:25:43 PM

This leads us to another, greater question. Who does Wake County's best defense attorney hire to be his defense attorney?

[Edited on June 26, 2012 at 1:27 PM. Reason : ^nvm]

6/26/2012 1:27:27 PM

I think what Crouch did was wrong. I don't think the legal assistant or Judge Ruth can be considered part of a conspiracy. And I'm not sure it rises to the level of criminal conduct for any of the three.

Seems like a bunch of ADAs over there finally looking forward to their opportunity to get back at Crouch for costing them a lot of cases.

Where will this case be prosecuted? I don't think it can happen in Wake County, unless they brought in another judge.

[Edited on June 26, 2012 at 1:28 PM. Reason : ]

6/26/2012 1:28:02 PM

It won't go to another jurisdiction unless it goes to trial. And I don't see that occurring. Both Ruth and Crouch will probably make any deal they can to keep their licenses. Even if it does go to trial their attorneys have to move to have the case heard elsewhere. But it's too early to speculate on what was or wasn't done illegally until more of the evidence is known.

6/26/2012 1:35:31 PM

Attorneys don't have to move to get the case heard elsewhere if every Judge in the county is disqualified because of a conflict of interest.

Even if they take a plea deal (which I highly doubt), they still need a judge without a conflict to sign off on it.

6/26/2012 1:37:50 PM

Keep their licenses?? I can't imagine that happening. At the very least, their licenses will be suspended for a little while.

These guys are fucking with the court systems. If you get DUI in South Carolina your license will get suspended.

6/26/2012 1:38:47 PM

Sound like pussification of america to me.

Oh Noes, you got away with something because I was not reading what I signed, PROSECUTE.

If the court system in NC is so backed up judges cant read what they are signing it might be time to get rid of a lot of the stupid shit that is illegal so the court can focus on actually doing its job not just reaping ticket revenue.

Legalizing weed & cocaine would be step one, flip through the mug shots more than half are for weed and cocaine.

6/26/2012 1:38:58 PM

Decriminalizing I imagine you mean... and it won't happen for coke.

^^ yeah I can't imagine they won't at least have their licenses suspended at this point

[Edited on June 26, 2012 at 1:47 PM. Reason : V]

6/26/2012 1:44:26 PM

crouch got a buddy of mine out of a DUI (charges were dropped)

got me out of three speeding tickets and a leaving the scene of an accident ticket (all charges were dropped)

got my wife out of a drunk and disorderly charge (dropped)

got another buddy of mine off of a leaving the scene of an accident charge (dropped)

have a friend with tow DUI charges currently pending with Crouch so we'll see how that goes.

but i was always amazed at how he could make charges magically disappear. i guess we know now. i always thought he was a baller!!

6/26/2012 1:55:47 PM

they are going to get Crouch on the same shit they got Lee Hatch and others from JOCO on, I bet.

im not 100% sure but i think they were doing similar shady shit. but im too lazy to look it up.

6/26/2012 2:35:48 PM

Quote :

"Crouch is not the only lawyer in Wake County to seek “nunc pro tunc” rulings — Latin for “now for then” — that allow the backdating of convictions. The process allows a judge to backdate a conviction and is often used in benign circumstances to fix clerical errors. The process is typically initiated when a defendant’s attorney files a motion for appropriate relief, which has a space on the form for a prosecutor’s signature. But in the dozen cases in question with Crouch and Ruth, there is no such paperwork. Almost always, a judge corrects his or her own order, not that of another judge. Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/26/2160778/wake-grand-jury-indicts-former.html#storylink=cpy"

See the practice they were using is not illegal, looks like it was being applied in a shady way, but not clearly illegal.

6/26/2012 2:38:10 PM

bunch of degenerates in this thread

6/26/2012 3:02:48 PM

The crouch defense is necessary for prison

6/26/2012 3:03:20 PM

Good if Crouch goes away. Some of you people deserve to be charged.

6/26/2012 3:09:27 PM

Quote :

"crouch got a buddy of mine out of a DUI (charges were dropped) got me out of three speeding tickets and a leaving the scene of an accident ticket (all charges were dropped) got my wife out of a drunk and disorderly charge (dropped) got another buddy of mine off of a leaving the scene of an accident charge (dropped) have a friend with tow DUI charges currently pending with Crouch so we'll see how that goes. but i was always amazed at how he could make charges magically disappear. i guess we know now. i always thought he was a baller!! 6/26/2012 1:55:47 PM"

We're all ecstatic that you and your inbred trailer trash family and friends are free to carry on like this without fear of repercussion :/

6/26/2012 3:19:14 PM

Quote :

"have a friend with tow DUI charges currently pending with Crouch so we'll see how that goes."

Who is he, Koren Robinson? I can't fathom the stupidity needed to put yourself in position to get a DUI when you already have a DUI charge pending. Darwin needs to step in..

6/26/2012 3:45:53 PM

it's a chick, bartender. both instances she had two beers after work and drove home. blew a .08 both times.

Quote :

"We're all ecstatic that you and your inbred trailer trash family and friends are free to carry on like this without fear of repercussion :/"

every single one of those instances was borderline charges, especially the incident with my wife. she wasn't even drunk, just ran into a super dick cop.

i'll take total responsibility for my speeding tickets but none of them were excessive, just enough to get points on my insurance. the leaving the scene of the crime was a single car accident so no harm no foul and better then a DUI. regardless...i don't need to prove anything to an internet board poster 1200 miles away, but we are far from trailer trash.

6/26/2012 4:21:50 PM

It's cool that your entire social circle likes to drive drunk. I'm amazed you're all still alive/haven't killed anyone yet.

6/26/2012 4:40:34 PM

Quote :

"I think what Crouch did was wrong. I don't think the legal assistant or Judge Ruth can be considered part of a conspiracy. And I'm not sure it rises to the level of criminal conduct for any of the three."

Well, it's definitely not Ruth since she wasn't even indicted with the conspiracy and only has a misdemeanor charge coming.

The issue is with Daniel, the assistant. If Daniel and Crouch were representing to folks that, "hey, we'll keep you driving for a year, even if we don't get the DWI dismissed", and they can demonstrate she had a hand in getting these nunc pro tunc motions granted, she's toast.

There was also a second assistant investigated... and who knows what she's going to blow the whistle on.

[Edited on June 26, 2012 at 5:01 PM. Reason : .]

6/26/2012 4:56:33 PM

set em up

6/26/2012 5:04:41 PM