Nebraska State Supreme Court Hears Case of Keno Operators
The Supreme Court of Nebraska conducted a hearing on May 30, 2007 regarding a legal malpractice case against keno operators and the second largest law firm in the state.
Richard T. Bellino wants the state Supreme Court to permit the decision of the jury to give him $1.6 million, but District Judge Patricia Lamberty commented that the evidence presented during the trial did not specifically state the amount of money and ordered McGrath, North, Mullin and Kratz law firm to pay Bellino $229,000.
In a statement before the court, the attorneys of Bellino, David Domina and Claudia Stringfield, commented that the jury verdict should be kept under wraps by the court and the state of Nebraska does not permit a district court to immediately decide on a conclusion which is not supported by solid evidence.
The law firm wants the Supreme Court to dismiss the case immediately. In a statement from attorneys John Douglas and David Blagg, they both said that a lawyer that acts honestly believes that his actions are not illegal and lawful and are beneficial to their client, cannot be accused of malpractice.
In October 2005, a jury decided that James D. Wegner, William F. Hargens and the law firm that they are working on did not properly advise Bellino on how to cut ties with his previous business partner before starting a new business. Bellino wanted to cut ties with Robert Anderson from their La Vista Lottery and set up his own keno business.
Bellino’s attorneys advised him to maintain his 50% share in La Vista Lottery and open La Vista Keno at the same time. Anderson filed a case against Bellino after Bellino won a contract to provide keno games to the residents of La Vista.
After that, Bellino filed a case against his lawyers, saying that he had been ill advised by them as to what he should do about his keno business.