2 Charges Filed by Bar Against Mitchelson

Celebrity divorce lawyer Marvin Mitchelson has been hit with two new charges by the California State Bar for allegedly refusing to pay for $1 million in jewelry bought in Switzerland.

The charges carry disbarment as the most serious penalty, said Victoria Molloy, who filed the charges for the Bar’s office of chief trial counsel.

Mitchelson allegedly bid on two pieces of jewelry once owned by the late Duchess of Windsor at an auction in Geneva in April, 1987, knowing that he did not intend to pay for them on time, a written statement of the charges said. Bidders were told they had to pay for the items within seven days, the statement said.

In a second charge, Mitchelson allegedly told the auctioneer, Sotheby’s, that he would pay for the two items with an imminent fee from a divorce case, the statement said.

Mitchelson was of town and unavailable for comment.

However, Mitchelson said in court papers that Sotheby’s had agreed to extend credit to him and let him keep the jewelry. Nevertheless, Sotheby’s accuses Mitchelson in court papers with undue delays and lack of candor.