Judge Who Presided Over Fen-Phen Scandal Disbarred for Helping Lawyers Fleece Clients

The judge who approved a notorious settlement in a fen-phen class action that allowed the plaintiffs’ lawyers to skim off millions in undeserved fees was permanently disbarred Oct. 27 by the Kentucky Supreme Court (Kentucky Bar Ass’n v. Bamberger).

In an opinion signed by Chief Justice John D. Minton, the court said that, without reading the settlement documents, the judge approved a resolution that gave the lawyers nearly two-thirds of the lump-sum award, and later signed an order falsely stating that he had reviewed the deal and concluded the terms were “fair and reasonable.”

The court also noted ...