Temporary judge faces state sanctions

Monday, March 15, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A Henderson attorney who gave up his right to practice law after being accused of misappropriating $24,000 from a client is now in trouble with the state Judicial Discipline Commission.

The commission filed a 56-count complaint Friday against Peter LaPorta, who was a temporary justice of the peace and municipal judge in Henderson. The commission said he bilked a family out of $6,750 in their efforts to get their grandchild returned from Mexico.

The complaint also said that after LaPorta's license was suspended or placed on inactive status, he continued to act as a temporary judge more than 50 times, which is a violation of the law.

LaPorta could not be reached for comment. He has 20 days to answer the complaint and ask for a hearing.

Mark Harrison had been given sole custody of his daughter Jessica but the mother took the child to Mexico. Harrison's mother, Lydia Harrison, hired LaPorta after he said he had a friend in Mexico of 25 years who had experience in the "extralegal extraction of children" from that country, according to the complaint.

In December 2000, the complaint said, Lydia Harrison paid $3,500 in cash to LaPorta. He then asked for another $1,000, which he accepted while sitting in the judge's chambers in Henderson in January 2001, the complaint said.

Lydia Harrison then paid LaPorta another $1,000. She handed the money to LaPorta in a public corridor and he put it in his pocket under his judicial robe, the complaint said.

The complaint said Lydia Harrison made two more payments to LaPorta. The child was never returned.

LaPorta also got into trouble with the state bar when he refused or failed to pay dues. His license to practice law was suspended in October 2001. But LaPorta continued to sit on the bench as a temporary judge in Henderson Municipal Court.

In March 2002 he paid his back fees to the state bar and then elected to go on inactive status. But after that he continued to preside over cases in Henderson Municipal Court.

The state bar and LaPorta reached an agreement on a disciplinary case in which he agreed to resign from the bar. Under the agreement, LaPorta was to pay restitution of $24,000 to a former client.

The bar maintained jurisdiction over the case in order to make sure the $24,000 was being repaid.

The Judicial Discipline Commission could fine LaPorta or revoke his judge privileges. But he can't preside as a judge anyway since he has resigned from the state bar.