Wage Law

We're a bit late coming with this news, but apparently Harpreet Brar was suspended by the California State Bar, for 30 days, from April 16, 2006 to and May 15, 2006 (04-O-11096 - Discipline with actual suspension). Perhaps the suspension can help explain why Brar was being sanctioned again, according to a tentative ruling by Orange County Superior Court Judge John Watson on May 22, 2006:

05CC08759 BRAR VS SADDLEBACK LIQUOR Cross-complainant’s Motion to Compel Compliance with prior Court Order of 3-6-06 and for Sanctions is GRANTED. The Court finds that cross-defendant has failed to obey the Court’s 3-6-06 Order compelling him to provide full and complete discovery responses within 20 days of the notice of ruling on the motion. Pursuant to CCP § 2030.290 and 2023.010, Harpreet Brar, Esq. is ordered to pay defendant Crown Empire Liquor and its attorney Dilip Vithlani, Esq. $2200.00 within 20 days from the date of notice of ruling. The Court’s previous Order of 3-6-06 remains in full force and effect. Cross-complainant to serve notice of ruling.

If the hearing was on May 22, 2006, the opposition would have been due on May 9, 2006, at a time when Brar was barred from acting as an attorney. Having already been sent to jail once for contempt of court, we're sure Brar wasn't foolish enough to file something in his capacity as a lawyer when he was, at least temporarily, not a licensed one, but if he is at all successful in his "practice," one would think he could afford a co-counsel to come in and do the job. But no, he failed to oppose the motion, and now Of course, that doesn't explain why Brar would disobey the court in the first instance by refusing to answer discovery by the court-ordered March 26, 2006 deadline. Brar, whose complaints have all been dismissed and is now just fighting against cross-complaints for abuse of process, faces an order to show cause on Monday, at which time the court may strike his pleadings and enter default judgments against him.

Once just a local embarrassment, Brar is now attracting nationwide attention, being featured in newpapers in Indianapolis and New York. These most recent articles included the following remarkable comment:

Mr. Brar said his experience in jail was a "nightmare," which he said included watching several inmates be beaten by guards. Mr. Brar said he planned to represent several of them.

How's that for a lousy place to find your next lawyer -- in jail in the next cell over.