Constable’s attorney racks up sanctions

Robert Pool, the deputized attorney for Las Vegas Township Constable John Bonaventura, has racked up more than $12,000 in unpaid fees and sanctions he owes for improper court filings that have become a civil contempt matter.

If Pool doesn’t pay up by Aug. 28, he runs the risk of spending time in jail.

The matter stems from a lawsuit Bonaventura filed against the Henderson and Laughlin Township constable offices that seeks to stop the deputies from doing work in Las Vegas Township. At a July 31 District Court hearing, the Laughlin constable’s attorney, Ross Goodman, told the judge he’ll ask for 25 days of incarceration for Pool if he doesn’t follow the order, as allowed under the law.

Pool’s knowledge of the legal profession also didn’t appear to impress District Judge Susan Scann.

“You’ve been licensed to practice law for 22 years and you don’t seem to understand what you’re doing,” Scann told Pool at the hearing. “If you’re in a new area, it’s your obligation as a lawyer to figure it out and to know what you’re doing… These appeals and things that you’ve filed are not an excuse.”

Pool’s troubles with the jurisdictional case date back to October after he improperly filed an amended complaint in District Court, despite an order preventing that action as the case proceeds in the Nevada Supreme Court. Pool also had improperly filed a proposed order that lacked a signature, another violation of court rules.

A judge’s Oct. 3 order required Pool to pay $750 to the defendants’ attorney and pay $1,000 to the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada as part of his sanctions. Pool also was ordered to pay $9,600 to the defendants’ law firm, Goodman Law Group, to cover the costs of dealing with improper filings.

At the July 31 hearing, Pool faced questions from a skeptical Scann, who ordered him to pay another $750 and said that all fees and sanctions must be paid by Aug. 28. He’ll also have to pay another $250 to a senior citizens fund if he misses the deadline. The original October order gave Pool 45 days to pay, but he hasn’t yet.

“You’re filing these motions didn’t result in anything in terms of delaying time for you to pay,” Scann told Pool.

After questioning Pool about his court filings, Scann asked: “How long have you been practicing, Mr. Pool?”

“Since 1992, but I’m kind of new to this particular area,” Pool said.

“What was your previous area?” the judge asked.

“A lot of insurance defense, criminal defense, just general litigation but this — appeals and things — is all kind of new to me,” Pool said.

Pool and Bonaventura didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Clark County commissioners in March 2013 voted to abolish the constable’s office, effective when Bonaventura’s term ends in January. That decision came after a variety of controversies — from a reality television pilot with foul-mouthed deputies to financial conflicts with the county — hit the office after Bonaventura was elected in 2010.

Constable deputies are sworn law enforcement officers who primarily perform evictions and serve court papers. The offices are supported by fees from the services.

Bonaventura deputized Pool so he could pay the attorney from his account for deputies after the county declined to cover the costs of Bonaventura’s lawsuit.

A court hearing to check the status of whether Pool has paid up and followed the order is set for Sept. 4.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.