Lawyer sentenced for forging signature of federal judge

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 | 11:14 a.m.

A suspended local attorney and son of a prominent Las Vegas developer was sentenced to six months in prison on Monday for forging the signature of a federal judge, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

No fines or restitution were imposed, the spokeswoman, Natalie Collins, said.

In April, Lawrence J. Davidson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James Mahan to concocting a bogus bankruptcy case and forging on it the signature of another federal judge, U.S. District Judge Robert Jones.

Davidson told Mahan he did it to make another client believe he had won a medical malpractice case that he in fact failed to file properly.

Davidson's father, Don Davidson, is a former vice president of Triple Five Development and serves on the board of the Las Vegas Housing Authority.

The state Bar Association began investigating Davidson in 2003 after a state District Court judge complained about another allegedly forged signature.

Davidson also allegedly misappropriated $350,000 in settlement funds from his clients, according to a petition filed by the bar. Collins said she could not comment on whether additional charges could be filed based on those allegations.