Robert Raphaele Catalano is an inactive member of the California Bar and was admitted 11th January 1966. Robert graduated from UC Hastings COL.

Lawyer Information

NameRobert Raphaele Catalano
First Admitted11 January 1966 (58 years, 4 months ago)
StatusInactive
Bar Number37408

Contact

Current Email[email protected]
Phone Number(661) 747-9460
Fax Number(661) 832-6666

Schools

Law SchoolUC Hastings COL (San Francisco CA)
Undergraduate SchoolUniversity of Oregon (Eugene OR)

Address

Current AddressRobert R Catalano, Attorney at Law
6900 Sea Pines Dr #2
Bakersfield, CA 93309
Map

History

29 June 2011Inactive (12 years, 10 months ago)
13 January 2004Active (20 years, 4 months ago)
29 September 2000Not Eligible To Practice Law (23 years, 7 months ago)
11 January 1966Admitted to The State Bar of California (58 years, 4 months ago)

Discipline Summaries

September 29, 2000

ROBERT RAFAEL CATALANO [#37408], 61, of Bakersfield was suspended for five years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with a three-year actual suspension, and was ordered to prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Sept. 29, 2000.

Catalano sought review of a State Bar Court hearing judge’s discipline recommendation, arguing that it was excessive. The review department upheld the recommendation.

Catalano was convicted in 1994 of wilful disobedience of a court order, a misdemeanor, and four misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns. The hearing judge found that disobeying a court order involved moral turpitude and the other counts involved misconduct warranting discipline.

Over a 10-year period, Catalano suffered severe financial problems as a result of a contentious divorce, the acrimonious break-up of his law partnership and a dispute with his former partner over fees from a case in the state of Washington. He filed for bankruptcy twice and was a defendant in a costly lawsuit stemming from his efforts to buy a house.

He misrepresented to a bank from which he sought a $100,000 line of credit that a certificate of deposit he pledged as security was owned by him and unencumbered by any liens. In fact, the CD was purchased with the attorney’s fees and costs from the Washington case and was subject to claims by his former partner. Catalano eventually was ordered by a court to pay his ex-partner that money, plus interest, amounting to $125,000.

Catalano and his wife did not file tax returns for 1984-87 because, they said, their records were in the possession of either attorneys and accountants for Catalano’s first wife, attorneys and accountants for his creditors, or parties involved in the bankruptcy. He subsequently filed his returns, but has not paid all his back taxes and is trying to work out a five-year payment plan.

The no contest plea to a charge of disobeying a court order resulted from the dispute over the fees in the Washington case.

The review department found that Catalano’s misconduct involved deception or concealment and that his testimony and arguments before the hearing department demonstrated a lack of insight into his misconduct.