Lawyer ex-husband blackmailing ex-wife...need suggestions

[drdna]

What is the name of your state? California

My Finance has a small problem with her ex-husband and I was hoping I could get a few suggestions on what the best route to take is.

A little background first.....
She was married for 3 years (in California) and was the main source of income while her husband looked for work as he was a recent grad from law school. During their 3 years he held only minor jobs while looking for work. She filed for divorce early last year and it was finalized in December last year. Her ex was very upset it was finalized before the start of the new year saying he had not planned that financially. He now has a real job and has to pay taxes.

He has now demanded (via email) that she pay him ~ $800 to make up the difference since they had to file separately. He claims that if they would have filed together it would have saved him $1600 and that she owes him half of that. However, he fails to point out that the main reason he would be saving money on his taxes is that he would get the full benefit of HER education costs (loans) that she still must pay off in full.

The main problem is that he is now a practicing lawyer (in California) and is threatening (via email) to tell her coworkers and others about several skeletons in her closet. This could potentially hurt her at work and make things uncomfortable for her.

Any suggestions on how best to take care of this without paying off his blackmail?

1. Since he is a lawyer can we report him to the bar association for unethical behavior (blackmail) and try to get him either disbarred or suspended in some way?
2. If he does tell anyone about her skeletons in an effort to hurt her financially or emotionally can this be solid grounds for a slander or defamation of character suit?

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions you can offer.
CD

[stephenk]

1. yes for his behavior. It won't get him disbarred.
2. telling the truth about someone isn't slander or defamation of character.

[drdna]

Great. Thanks for the info.

Do you think reporting him to the bar could result in him getting some sort of minor punishment?

Would it matter that some of the info is not true and that the only reason he would be doing this is to cause her emotional and financial harm?

Thanks
cd

[stephenk]

depends on the falsehood.

[IRISH GIRL]

This guy sounds like another Unethical and Unproffessional Attorney, a real Ass, If it was me i'd be knocking on the doors of the police department, filing Harrasment Charges and Extortion Charges, and anything else they could think of, and lets Not forget the bar Council, Tell him all this would not look good for him either, being so new to the field and all, Geez does not sound to me like he learned much, Not starting out very well.

p.s.
What does he think is going to happen next tax year, he needs to move on.