Appellate Judge Issues Warrant for Attorney in Contempt Action
A state appellate court justice in Santa Ana issued a warrant Thursday for the arrest of a Los Angeles lawyer who failed to file an appellate brief in a criminal case and failed to appear in court for a contempt hearing.
But Justice Sheila Sonenshine ordered that the warrant take effect after April 22 so that lawyer Vana Parker Margolese could explain in court why she has not filed the brief and why she did not appear at a March 19 hearing as ordered.
Margolese was appointed in February, 1984, to appeal the conviction of Claudio C. Mendoza of Santa Ana.
Mendoza was convicted in September, 1983, of raping his 13-year-old niece 16 months earlier. He was placed on probation for six years, Margolese said.
Appellate court records indicate that Margolese was given several extentions of time to file a brief and finally was ordered to file a brief by March 8 or explain in court March 19 why she could not file it. She neither filed the brief nor appeared in court.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
