Mr. Radolovich: No Stranger to Ethical and Malpractice Charges

You may have recently read about retiring Louisville lawyer Fred Radolovich who has been indicted on charges of perjury (lying under oath). Mr. Radolovich is no stranger to ethical and malpractice charges. In April 2006, Radolovich was sanctioned by a federal appeals court for filing a frivolous appeal. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals said he filed an “incoherent brief” that contained “patent legal and factual inaccuracy.” He was ordered to pay $9,500 in sanctions. He has now been found in contempt for failing to pay those sanctions. In early November 2006, in a different matter, five judges on the 6th Circuit said Radolovich did such a poor job investigating the background of his client, IN A DEATH PENALTY CASE, that he never even discovered his own client’s real name. Radolovich’s perjury was also charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the court in a hearing by saying he had handled six death penalty cases, four as a prosecutor in New York. Radolovich’s former supervisor, from the New York County District Attorney’s office, swore in an affidavit that Radolovich never handled a death penalty case while a prosecutor. The supervisor also said that Radolovich falsely claimed to have headed a special “organized crime unit” while at the New York DA’s office. Additionally, the Courier Journal showed how Radolovich falsely claimed that he was a licensed barrister in England and was going to the World Court in the Netherlands to prosecute a Serbian war criminal. Last, but not least, Radolovich was sued by a Louisville surgeon, Johnathan Guarnaschelli, M.D., for filing a frivolous lawsuit. It seems that Radolovich filed suit against Guarnaschelli for medical negligence without any medical proof that Guarnaschelli had done anything wrong. For over a year, Guarnaschelli’s lawyer requested Radolovich drop the suit because of a lack of evidence. Ultimately, Guarnaschelli’s lawyer requested the court dismiss the case for lack of evidence. The court agreed to do so. Dr. Guarnaschelli sued Radolovich for wrongful use of civil proceedings. The jury agreed with Guarnaschelli and awarded him $12,000 in compensatory damages and $60,000 in punitive damages.