TAMPA -- Disbarred Judge Louis Tidwell is back in jail, amid allegations he has been practicing law without a license. Tidwell, 69, appeared in court this morning before Hillsborough Circuit Judge Gregory Holder, who set bail for violation of probation at $5,000.
A judge for 20 years, Tidwell presided over worker's compensation cases until he admitted to trading drugs for sex with a 14-year-old girl in the late 1980s. He served four years in prison and remains on probation.
His attorney, Ron Cacciatore, said Tidwell has been representing claimants before the Social Security Administration since 1994, but said such work does not require that the representative be a lawyer. Cacciatore said the state has not filed formal criminal charges against Tidwell other than violation of probation, so it isn't yet clear exactly what activity the state's allegations stem from.
Earlier Times coverage: Disbarred judge may have been practicing law
--Times staff
October 11, 2007 in Hillsborough
Thursday, October 11, 2007
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It is now public knowledge that this man is not the Honorable Judge, lawyer or paralegal that he practices to be. He lied and used deceptive practice in a court of Law. SSA law is a Federal Court. The documents he used were outdated and there are revisions and the new one which he should have been using state: Have you ever been arrested, convicted in a court of Law or disbarred? He has the clients fill out blank forms and tells you that his secretary will type them, he should never have been clear and given a business lic for a paralegal in this state considering he is a felon. He should not be near children especialy disable ones who can not defend themselves. He took a plea bargain to stay out of jail and should have atleast been charged with Violation of Probation. The first time he mentions that he is not a real lawyer is in the court hearing when he introduced himself very soft voice and your so nervious your listening to him introduce himself. I know from experience that this is what he does because I am one of his 40 cases that were pending when arrested this time. His pleas is that he must notify everyone of the 40 clients that he is not a lawyer and they have the choice of keeping him or not. I would not... but it is thier choice. He was practicing without a license and even wrote a letter to us that we should have hired a competent attorney next time. I can tell everyone the truth about this man now that it is public knowledge. Yes he agreed to never practice law anywhere in the state again after these 40 pending cases. That agreement means in plain language : No court of law to include SSA ever again. He is a sexual predator for life and if he had not been a judge he would still be in jail now ...he did 4 yrs out of 12. The system failed again.... His law class still list him as the Honorable Tidwell and wife will attend the class reunion ..pretty disgusting to think that Duke University thinks this man is Honorable representing his class as making it to a Judge. They should know he made it and used his position for a free get of jail ahead of time.
Do I sound bitter you are correct on that one. I am an advocate for the Disabled and the elderly and his hurt one of them financially.
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