A federal judge recently accused lawyer Stefanie Lambert of repeated misconduct in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne. Lambert was initially hired to represent Byrne in 2023, shortly after being indicted on felony charges in Michigan for attempting to access voting machines to support Trump’s false claims of election fraud. The judge in the case, Upadhyaya, chastised Lambert for disregarding court orders and her responsibilities as an attorney, ultimately banning her from representing Byrne due to her continued violations.
Lambert was accused of breaching a confidentiality order by sharing information with a sheriff in Michigan that she claimed showed Serbian nationals at Dominion attempting to influence the election outcome. This information was later leaked online and used in Lambert’s unrelated criminal trial. Upadhyaya’s ruling highlighted Lambert’s failure to substantiate her claims that Dominion’s documents contained evidence of national security crimes, emphasizing that her behavior was in direct violation of the court’s protective order. Despite Lambert’s statements of upholding truth and justice, her repeated violations led to her disqualification as Byrne’s counsel in the defamation case.
The judge’s decision to remove Lambert as counsel was deemed extraordinary and rarely granted outside of cases involving conflicts of interest. Upadhyaya’s ruling emphasized Lambert’s repeated misconduct and disregard for court rules and orders as the basis for her disqualification. Lambert’s actions, which appeared aimed at gaining access to and publicly sharing Dominion’s protected discovery materials, had deeply impacted the lawsuit’s proceedings. The severity of Lambert’s violations warranted her immediate disqualification from the case, as continuing to allow her as counsel would likely have further compromised the integrity of the proceedings.
Following the judge’s decision, Lambert announced that Byrne planned to appeal the ruling. Lambert’s string of legal troubles also includes criminal charges in Michigan related to her alleged attempt to access voting machine data, with her trial set for October. Lambert’s legal entanglements, from the felony charges in Michigan to her repeated violations in the defamation case, have raised serious concerns about her conduct as an attorney and her commitment to upholding the law. Despite her claims of seeking truth and justice, her actions in these cases have eroded her credibility as a legal professional and have led to significant consequences.
Lambert’s removal as Byrne’s counsel highlights the importance of upholding legal standards and responsibilities as an attorney. The judge’s ruling emphasized the seriousness of Lambert’s repeated misconduct, warning that her actions had already infected the lawsuit’s proceedings and were likely to continue if she remained as counsel. Lambert’s legal troubles, ranging from the defamation case to her criminal charges in Michigan, underscore the consequences of disregarding court orders and violating professional obligations. Ultimately, Lambert’s disqualification serves as a reminder of the accountability that legal professionals must uphold in fulfilling their duties and obligations to the court and their clients.
