Attorney Loses Appeal of Contempt Finding for Not Taking Stand

A Washington, D.C., attorney is in criminal contempt of court for refusing to answer questions about where his client’s assets could be found, the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed March 26.

Matthew LeFande disregarded oral and written orders to answer questions on the witness stand by the magistrate judge in the underlying case, the appeals court said in an opinion by Judge Cornelia Pillard.

The underlying litigation began when Anita Warren sold a property through District Title, a real estate settlement company, according to the court. District Title mistakenly transferred almost $300,000 back to her instead of to her mortgage ...