Robert Barnes (attorney) explained

Robert Barnes
Birth Name:Robert Edward Barnes
Birth Date:11 April 1974
Birth Place:Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma Mater:University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (BA)
University of Wisconsin Law School (JD)
Occupation:Criminal tax attorney, legal advocate, political commentator, and YouTuber

Robert Edward Barnes (born April 11, 1974) is an American lawyer and political commentator. He is the co-host, with David Freiheit, of the podcast Viva & Barnes: Law for the People. Founder of Barnes Law LLP, a Los Angeles–based law firm,[1] [2] Barnes gained public attention by representing perceived underdogs and for lawsuits involving constitutional issues.[3]

Early life and education

Barnes grew up in East Ridge, Tennessee, attended Grace Baptist Academy, and later received a scholarship to the McCallie School, a private all-male high school. Barnes' father died when he was a child.[4]

He later attended Yale University for two years before transferring to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1994, citing Yale's elitism as the reason behind his decision to switch schools.[5] [6] Barnes graduated from University of Wisconsin Law School.[7]

Career

Barnes was formerly a partner at the Bernhoft Law Firm.[8] He later established his own practice, Barnes Law LLP, and is affiliated with Free America Law Center.[9]

Notable cases

Barnes represented Ralph Nader in a lawsuits regarding ballot access in Hawaii and Arizona for his 2004 presidential bid. The Hawaiian lawsuit was unsuccessful; however, the Arizona lawsuit was ultimately successful in Nader v. Brewer.[10] [11] [12]

While with Bernhoft in 2008, Barnes served as one of actor Wesley Snipes' criminal defense lawyers. After a federal trial, a jury acquitted Snipes of conspiracy and felony tax evasion but convicted him on three out of six counts of misdemeanor failure to file income tax returns.[13] Judge William Terrell Hodges imposed the maximum sentence of three consecutive one-year terms.[14] The convictions and sentence were upheld on appeal, where Snipes was represented by other counsel.[15] [16] [17]

He was one of Alex Jones's defense attorneys in defamation lawsuits that were filed against Jones by an FBI agent and the parents of victims from the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre after Jones suggested that the shooting may have been staged.[18] [19] Pre-trial default judgements were entered against Jones by the judges in all cases, with jury trials later being held for the purpose of assessing damages.[20] [21]

In 2019 Barnes represented eight Covington High School students, excluding Nick Sandmann,[22] [23] in a lawsuit that was later dismissed.[24]

Barnes was initially hired as part of Kyle Rittenhouse's defense team in his criminal trial following the 2020 Kenosha unrest shooting, but Barnes did not end up representing Rittenhouse at trial.[25] [26]

He represented bartender Dustin Hice in a sexual assault lawsuit against CNN anchor Don Lemon in 2021,[27] based on a series of allegations that were later retracted.[28]

In 2021 Barnes also represented Amy Cooper in the Central Park birdwatching incident for the misdemeanor charge of filing a false police report, a charge that was dismissed upon the motion of the prosecutor.[29]

Barnes was hired in 2022 to represent Amish farmer Amos Miller of Miller's Organic Farm in the United States government's lawsuit against him for refusing to undergo USDA inspection of his products for religious reasons.[30]

In 2024 Barnes represented Amish farmer Reuben King during sentencing for his May 17, 2023 conviction for privately selling hunting guns from his collection without a license. King was facing 'up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both'. On Jan 23, 2024 the judge ruled King must pay a $35,000 fine and will spend three years on probation.[31]

Political views

Barnes is a self-described populist.[32]

Bet on Trump

In 2016, Barnes successfully wagered in European betting markets on Donald Trump being elected president of the United States, winning more than US$500,000.[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: VivaBarnesLaw . 2023-11-06 . vivabarneslaw.locals.com.
  2. Web site: Attorney Profile: Robert Edward Barnes - #235919 . State Bar of California.
  3. 1730: Robert Barnes, Champion Of The Underdog, A Crusader For The Constitution And An Equalizer Of Odds! . The Creating Wealth Show . Hartman . Jason . August 25, 2021 . Podcast . 13 August 2023 .
  4. Web site: Smith . Millicent . Chattanooga native hits jackpot betting on Trump win . The Chattanooga Times Free Press . Nov 20, 2016 . May 1, 2022 .
  5. Web site: Oppenheimer. Mark . The Man Who Made $500,000 Off Trump's Win . Nov 21, 2016. Tablet.
  6. Web site: Terry . Amy . Barnes Rages Against Elitism . Nov 16, 1994. Yale Daily News.
  7. Web site: Board of Professional Responsibility . www.tbpr.org . Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee . 9 June 2022.
  8. News: Baxter . Brian . Bob Barnes Hits Back at Client Gone Wild in Court Filing . 9 June 2022 . AmLawDaily . ALM Media Properties, LLC . 29 January 2009.
  9. Web site: Join The Fight . 2023-11-06 . Free America Law Center . en-US.
  10. Web site: Ralph Nader's Lawyer: Hawaii Election Law Fight About Free Speech Rights . Honolulu Civil Beat . en . 11 February 2011.
  11. News: Court turns down Nader challenge of Hawaii election ruling . 9 June 2022 . Honolulu Star-Advertiser . 4 April 2011.
  12. Web site: Fischer . Howard . Nader challenges decision to keep him off Ariz. ballot . Arizona Daily Sun . 16 August 2004 . 29 June 2023.
  13. News: Morrissey . Siobhan . Wesley Snipes Acquitted of Tax Fraud . People Magazine . 1 February 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080204000854/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20174911,00.html . 4 February 2008.
  14. News: Wesley Snipes sentenced to 3 years in prison . 20 June 2022 . Today . April 24, 2008.
  15. News: Prosecutors defend Snipes jail sentence . 30 June 2022 . Entertainment News . UPO . February 1, 2009.
  16. News: Appeals Court Upholds Wesley Snipes Tax Conviction . Accounting Today. 20 June 2022 . July 16, 2010.
  17. News: Wesley Snipes Ordered to Serve Three Years in Prison . 9 June 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter . 19 November 2010.
  18. News: Tilove . Jonathan . March 7, 2019 . Alex Jones ratchets up his Sandy Hook defense . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211162115/https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2019/03/07/alex-jones-ratchets-up-his-sandy-hook-defense/5763376007/ . 2023-12-11.
  19. News: Ross . Jamie . Sandy Hook Parents' Lawyer Wants Alex Jones Attorney Removed Over Infowars Attack . 9 June 2022 . The Daily Beast . 3 May 2019 . en.
  20. News: Thebault . Ries . Alex Jones must pay damages to Sandy Hook families in another defamation case, judge rules . 9 June 2022 . Washington Post.
  21. News: Sommer . Will . Alex Jones Is Turning on His Own Lawyers in Sandy Hook Case . 9 June 2022 . The Daily Beast . 9 June 2022 . en.
  22. News: Sommer . Will . Covington Catholic Student Nick Sandmann's Lawyers Go After Rival Attorney . 9 June 2022 . The Daily Beast . 10 January 2020 . en.
  23. News: Bauerlein . Monika . The legal war against Mother Jones keeps getting more intense. . 9 June 2022 . Mother Jones . 2 November 2021.
  24. News: Karanth . Sanjana . Judge Dismisses Students' Libel Suit Against Elizabeth Warren, Deb Haaland . 9 June 2022 . HuffPost . 6 November 2019 . en.
  25. Web site: Kyle Rittenhouse Hires Wesley Snipes' Tax Lawyer. Justin. Rohrlich. February 5, 2021. The Daily Beast.
  26. News: Here's a guide to who's who in the Rittenhouse courtroom. . The New York Times . November 18, 2021 . Lyons . Patrick J. . Petri . Alexandra E. .
  27. Web site: Don Lemon sued for allegedly assaulting New York bartender, 'categorically denies' claims. Cydney. Henderson. USA TODAY.
  28. News: Chisolm . Johanna . Don Lemon assault accuser drops suit against CNN host after 'deep dive into memory' . 9 June 2022 . The Independent . 3 May 2022 . en.
  29. News: Higginbotham . Emily . Charges Dropped Against Amy Cooper . 9 June 2022 . Chelsea News . 19 February 2021.
  30. Web site: Flynn . Dan . 2022-11-30 . Amos Miller returns to court with a new, high-profile attorney from Los Angeles . 2023-11-06 . Food Safety News . en-US.
  31. News: Nephin . Dan . Leacock Township Amish farmer who sold guns without a license gets probation, $35K fine . 4 February 2024 . Lancaster Online . Jan 24, 2024.
  32. Web site: 2016-11-24 . Chattanooga native hits jackpot betting on Trump win . 2023-11-06 . AP News . en.
  33. Web site: O’Driscoll . Sean . Lawyer cashed in on underestimated Trump . thetimes.co.uk . The Times . Dec 26, 2016 . May 1, 2022 .

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