Gene Stearns: It Wasn't Me!

Well I guess the big headline this morning is Gene Stearn's rare loss in a rare securities fraud case tried to a jury before Judge Ungaro.

In a case marked by particularly vituperative, some would say overheated rhetoric, Gene now seems to be suggesting it's all Judge Ungaro's fault:

Eugene Stearns, an attorney for BankAtlantic, said the company would appeal on a variety of issues, including U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro’s ruling before the trial that four of the 19 statements were false.

“We are obviously disappointed with the outcome, but in light of the court’s ruling on the four statements, we’re not particularly surprised,” Stearns said. “The probability that they will ever collect a penny on this is infinitesimally small.”

In a DBR article inexplicably not yet online, Gene reportedly added that "he has never seen a case with so many issues to pursue on appeal in his 40 years of practicing law."

Seriously -- most trial errors ever?

Who the hail presided over this piece of dreck anyways?

I can only begin to imagine -- deliciously -- what this thing must have cost in attorney's fees and costs.  For example, I noticed that nine Stearns Weaver attorneys apparently participated in the failed mediation of this matter back in June.