The State Bar of Arizona filed a lawsuit against family members of the Arizona inmate who prison officials wrongly released from custody earlier this year, accusing them of illegally acting as attorneys.<\/p>\n
David Cramer was released in June and re-arrested in August after prison officials said they discovered fraudulent court filings led to his release. He was originally arrested in 2012 and sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in 2014 on felony kidnapping, resisting arrest and unlawful imprisonment charges.<\/p>\n
Over the years, Cramer and other individuals associated with his business, Black Canyon Enterprises, filed multiple documents claiming the charges against him were dismissed and he should be released, leading to a warning letter from the Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court.<\/p>\n
Judges routinely nullified those filings until earlier this year, when three fraudulent orders were used to secure Cramer\u2019s release.<\/p>\n
Latest lawsuit<\/p>\n
A complaint filed by the State Bar in Maricopa County Superior Court accuses Haven McQueen, Paris Cramer and Cynthia Baker of the \u201cunauthorized practice of law,\u201d a violation of rules set by the Arizona Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
McQueen and Cramer are David Cramer\u2019s daughters, and some of the recent fraudulent documents were signed by Baker and McQueen.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit also names Black Canyon Enterprises PLLC, a business formed by David Cramer years ago, that currently lists Paris Cramer and Baker as owners, according to Arizona Corporation Commission documents.<\/p>\n
None of the individuals listed in the lawsuit are licensed to practice law in Arizona, according to the State Bar. But the complaint alleges they acted as attorneys when they filed documents on David Cramer\u2019s behalf, including the filings that led to his release.<\/p>\n
The Bar complaint also points out that the Black Canyon Enterprises website offers legal services, including legal support and power of attorney, though it also states, \u201cWe are not a law firm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe following are the grounds for imposing sanctions against Respondents McQueen, Cramer, Baker and Black Canyon Enterprises, PLLC,\u201d according to the complaint.<\/p>\n
The State Bar of Arizona is asking a judge to order McQueen, Cramer, Baker and the company to stop practicing law, remove any language insinuating they are lawyers and immediately refund any existing customers. It is also asking the court to impose a $2,000 civil penalty against each person.<\/p>\n
Obscure legal theory<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry<\/p>\n
David Cramer and a fraudulent release order.<\/p>\n
The Cramer family appears to be relying on an obscure legal theory to defend its actions.<\/p>\n
In a social media post, Paris Cramer wrote, \u201cThe allegation that \u2018fraudulent documents\u2019 were used to secure David Cramer\u2019s release is false. Documents were notarized, sealed, and filed in a Court of Record, which makes them lawful and binding.\u201d<\/p>\n
She claimed, “Black Canyon Enterprises PLLC, Cindy Baker, Haven McQueen, and myself, Paris Len\u00e9 Cramer, acted fully within lawful authority, Natural Law, and Article III powers. Every filing was notarized, entered into record, and accepted by the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Questions and requests for comment sent to phone numbers and emails listed for Black Canyon Enterprises and Haven McQueen went unanswered.<\/p>\n