July 7, 2008

Jose Canseco's former attorney seeking half-million in overdue legal fees

Tampa Bay Sports Net

This week Jose Canseco may have a Bash Brother-sized bill to add to his mounting financial woes. This article was written by Chritian Red and appeared in the New York Daily News.

The former major leaguer lost his Encino (Calif.) home to foreclosure earlier this spring, and last month, his former attorney Robert Saunooke filed suit originally seeking $500,000 in overdue legal fees. Canseco fired Saunooke abruptly in April after Saunooke had represented him for over five years.

Saunooke took the next step Tuesday by filing a motion for default and judgment. He is seeking to recoup $335,236.23.

"On a money judgment, if (Canseco or his attorney) don’t file an answer within a certain period of time, they’re in default and they don’t get to raise any defense," Saunooke told the Daily News. "I will now go to a judge (next Thursday) and ask the judge to decide what amount, if any, to pay. I’ll submit the same bills. I’ll follow the law in Florida and elsewhere and try to attach any assets (Canseco) has to satisfy the judgment."

Canseco’s Los Angeles-based attorney Gregory Emerson did not return a call. Canseco is scheduled to do a celebrity boxing match in Atlantic City July 12 where he’ll fight former NFL return man Vai Sikahema.

"You would think with all their pandering, if what I was saying wasn’t correct, somebody would have shown up and said, 'These bills aren’t accurate,’" Saunooke said. "But they are accurate and I’ve given them every opportunity to correct them." This article was written by Chritian Red and appeared in the New York Daily News.