Marvin Mitchelson

Marvin Mitchelson

Marvin M. Mitchelson (7 May 1928 in Detroit, Michigan - 18 September 2004 in Beverly Hills, California) was an American celebrity lawyer who pioneered the concept of palimony, calling it "marriage with no rings attached."

Contents

Biography

Mitchelson was the youngest child of three and only son of poor Russian immigrants. The family relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles when Marvin was in high school, after graduation he then served a term in the United States Navy. After leaving the service he entered UCLA where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law, and was admitted to the California Bar on 4 June 1957, having passed the bar exam on his second try. He set up a private legal practice in Los Angeles at that time.

Legal career

In 1963 Mitchelson won a landmark United States Supreme Court decision, Douglas v. California, giving indigent defendants the right to legal counsel.

He gained national publicity when he was hired by Michelle Triola, a lounge singer who lived with actor Lee Marvin as his personal partner from 1964 until 1970, when Marvin told her to move out because he wanted to marry another woman. Mitchelson helped Triola — who claimed that she was entitled to the same benefits as a divorcée, which meant half of Marvin's then-$3.6 million fortune — win her right to bring suit. Although Triola was awarded $104,000 for "rehabilitation" in 1978 (the ruling was overturned in 1981; Marvin never paid Triola any money), Marvin v. Marvin (Triola assumed Marvin's name during the relationship) set a precedent.

Mitchelson's celebrity clients included Pamela Mason (wife of James Mason), who received a $2 million divorce settlement from her ex-husband,[1] Robert DeNiro, Mickey Rooney, Sylvester Stallone, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Collins, Mel Tormé, Bianca Jagger, Lesley-Anne Down, Carl Sagan, Mrs. William Shatner, and many ex-wives of errant playboy sheiks.

Later years and death

During his heyday Mitchelson owned a 38-room Beverly Hills mansion (which now belongs to Johnny Depp), four Rolls-Royce automobiles, and he epitomised the 1970s California champagne-and-cocaine lifestyle, consuming both in increasingly large quantities until a series of unpaid tax bills and malpractice complaints caught up with him. He was also forcibly evicted, in the late 1970s, from a home he was renting in Beverly Hills. He appeared on an episode ("There Goes the Bride") of the series The Golden Girls, in the early 1990s, appearing as himself; his role was as a lawyer for an ex-husband of Dorothy Zbornak. In that role he produced a pre-nuptial agreement which Dorothy had to sign. She refused, and the wedding was canceled.

Mitchelson was quoted as saying "A divorce lawyer is a chameleon with a law book." In his Century City office he had a chair owned by Rudolph Valentino and an illuminated ceiling of Botticelli's Venus which matched his belt buckle.

He was accused of rape by two women in the early 1990s, but the authorities declined to mount a prosecution. However, on 12 April 1993 he was sentenced to 30 months in prison on four counts of felony tax fraud and failure to properly oversee a trust account. In 1994 he was cited for failing to take the professional responsibility exam, had his probation revoked in 1995, and was disciplined in 1996 for failure to provide accountings or return unearned fees in 14 client matters. A 1993 conviction for not paying taxes on some $2 million in income resulted in suspension from the Bar, bankruptcy and eventually two years in jail from 1996 to 1998. The case was initiated by a former girlfriend of Mitchelson's and was investigated by IRS Special Agent James Lawrence Wilson.

He wept on his first day in Lompoc prison, but ultimately found white-collar incarceration stimulating. He organized an opera appreciation society, ran the library and helped other prisoners with their appeals.

He was able to resume his practice in 2000 after presenting a "humble and contrite" figure to the court. His last high-profile client was longtime friend Phil Spector, whom Mitchelson was to defend against murder charges, although Mitchelson died before the case was tried.

Mitchelson died in a rehabilitation center in Beverly Hills, succumbing to cancer.[2]

Mitchelson was married for 45 years, to a feisty former Italian starlet, Marcella. They had one son, Morgan. He joked that his matrimonial success was bad for his divorce practice, but the relationship was often stormy. She once used her car in an attempt to run over a suspected mistress of Mitchelson. He filed for divorce a number of times, but admitted he was always too scared to serve her the papers.

References

  1. ^ [1] Marvin Mitchelson Biography at astro.com
  2. ^ astro.com
  • Ladies' Man: The Life and Trials of Marvin Mitchelson by John A. Jenkins (1992), St. Martin's Press) ISBN 0-312-07856-0

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mitchelson, Marvin Morris — ▪ 2005       American lawyer (b. May 7, 1928, Detroit, Mich. d. Sept. 18, 2004, Beverly Hills, Calif.), established the concept of palimony the right of a longtime, but unmarried, live in partner to sue for alimony in the 1976 California Supreme… …   Universalium

  • Michelle Triola Marvin — Born Michelle Triola November 13, 1932 Los Angeles, California Died October 30, 2009 (aged 76) Malibu, California Cause of death Lung Cancer Residence …   Wikipedia

  • John A. Jenkins — (born 1950 12 16) is an American journalist, author, President and Publisher of CQ Press [ [http://www.cqpress.com/ CQ Press: An Independent Publisher Advancing Democracy by Informing Citizens. Bookstore ] ] in Washington, D.C..Prior to joining… …   Wikipedia

  • Vicki Morgan — Cover of Beautiful Bad Girl: the Vicki Morgan Story, by Gordon Basichis Vicki Morgan (b. August 9, 1952 in Colorado Springs, Colorado – July 7, 1983 in Los Angeles, CA) was a model and a high profile murder victim. Contents …   Wikipedia

  • Palimony — is a popular (but not a historical or legal) term used to describe the division of financial assets and real property on the termination of a personal live in relationship wherein the parties are not legally married. The term is a portmanteau of… …   Wikipedia

  • Michelle Triola — (born 1933 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an actress who is mainly notable for unsuccessfully suing Lee Marvin in 1977 after her relationship with him ended. The trial, which brought about the concept of palimony, was widely… …   Wikipedia

  • Peter Holm — (born June 13, 1947) is a former pop singer and Swedish playboy who was married to actress Joan Collins between 1985 1986. He was 14 years her junior and sported a blonde mane with a center parting. He became her manager and co produced two of… …   Wikipedia

  • Deaths in 2004 — Contents 1 December 2 November 3 October 4 September …   Wikipedia

  • List of people from Michigan — A list of notable people from the U.S. state of Michigan. Bolding indicates places in Michigan. People from Michigan are sometimes referred to as Michiganders, Michiganians, or more rarely as Michiganites. Actors, entertainers and… …   Wikipedia

  • John-Michael Tebelak — Infobox Writer name = John Michael Tebelak imagesize = 150px caption = isch birthdate = birth date|1949|11|01 birthplace = deathdate = death date and age|1985|04|02|1949|11|01 deathplace = New York City occupation = Writer, director nationality …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”