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Thursday, June 12, 1986


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Attorney Wittmaack suspended

By TOM RUE
HONESDALE - Attorney John A. Wittmaack was ordered "to show cause why he should not be disbarred," in a May 28th order received by the Wayne County prothonotary's office. He was given 20 days to file an answer.

Signed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the order stated that Wittmaack has been suspended from the practice of law, upon recommendation of the court's Disciplinary Board. Vince Scammel, administrator of the Supreme Court, told The River Reporter that the proceedings stemmed from "a criminal matter," but he would not elaborate until further information is released by the board's secretary.

Wittmaack could not be reached for comment and failed to return phone calls. His office staff was apparently told to direct press inquiries to Marshall Anders of Stroudsburg. Anders stated simply, "It's a confidential proceeding."

According to an account in the Tri-State Gazette, Edwin Frese, assistant counsel to the Disciplinary Council's District 3, refused to discuss the case "because of his own involvement as a litigant in the case.

Oral arguments on the case, which will be open to the public, are expected to be held in Philadelphia at some future date.

Nicholas Barna, president of the Wayne County Bar Association, estimated that there are 10 to 20 disbarments in Pennsylvania each year. "Given the number of lawyers, I guess that's not very many," he commented.

Wittmaack lists his practice as Wayne County, although his law offices and residence are in Pike County's Hemlock Farms in Lord's Valley. Formerly he maintained a practice in Middletown.

On April 20, 1977, Wittmaack was indicted by the New York State Supreme Court in Queens on charges that while president of the Berkley Co-op Towers, a housing cooperative in Woodside, NY, he billed $5000 worth of items to the co-op which were actually for his personal use.

Wittmaack was charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, six counts of third-degree larceny, six counts of third-degree grand larceny, and forgery. Reportedly, these charges were dismissed mid-trial after the case file was lost.