Riverside County charged attorney Ross Cornell and his client with six felony counts of deceiving federal court in their pursuit of 60 disability lawsuits across Riverside County.
Now, Cornell is suing the county in federal court to get the case against him thrown out.
The Riverside County district attorney’s office announced their charges against Cornell and his client, Riverside County utilities service representative Bryan Estrada, through a press release May 10, the same day as their arrest.
The press release claimed the pair had filed fraudulent lawsuits against small business owners in Riverside County.
The pair had filed more than 60 lawsuits alleging companies had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act since 2019, the release claimed.
In some cases, Cornell and Estrada made misrepresentations in their legal documents, the release claimed. The pair sued solely for financial benefit, the release claimed.
The DA’s felony complaint claimed the pair had submitted false documents in their federal cases against the Corona Animal Hospital, Park Lane Mobile Homes and Ultra Imports Auto Parts.
It also claimed they conspired to deceive the court three times. Each of the given counts were described as felonies, in violation of state law.
Cornell’s response
Cornell and Estrada were both arrested at their homes by officers with drawn guns, Cornell said in his complaint.
The district attorney’s office published the press release hours after their arrest, Cornell said, and the release was libelous and caused defamatory press coverage.
The release was made to besmirch Cornell, interfere with his current cases and civil rights advocacy and to damage his reputation, Cornell claimed. His cases were not prosecuted “solely” for financial gain, and the three cases described by the complaint were settled with improvements to disability access, Cornell wrote in his complaint.
Cornell alleges the charges and release were a political ploy by District Attorney Michael Hestrin.
“Libelous press releases and SWAT-style arrests of disabled persons and attorneys for loosely alleged non-violent crimes committed in the context of protected federal civil rights advocacy are unjustified and portray animus and bias. Moreover, the motivation for the RCDA’s conduct is highly suspect in light of the impending June 2022 election for the office of District Attorney in Riverside and the seeming effort by the RCDA to generate media attention,” Cornell wrote.
Cornell brought five causes of action against the prosecution:
- Cornell’s ADA lawsuits were filed in federal court, outside of the DA’s jurisdiction
- State law as referenced by the DA is preempted by federal law
- ADA lawsuits are protected activities
- The DA is unlawfully interfering against Cornell
- The DA’s case violates Cornell’s 1st Amendment right to petition the government
Cornell’s federal claim held 11 prayers for relief, which mostly requested the DA’s case to be thrown out of the court, and for their press release to be redacted.
Case information
Deputy District Attorney Timothy Brown leads the prosecution at the local level.
Joseph Markus of Bellflower’s Stein & Markus defends Cornell and Estrada.
Bail was set at $30,000.
The District Attorney’s trial case number RIF2201190.
Arraignment and a demurrer hearing to be held June 3.
Cornell represents himself in his federal case.
The DA’s counsel has not yet been assigned
Central District of California Judge John Holcomb presides.
Cornell’s federal case number 5:22-cv-789.
Read both Cornell’s complaint and the DA’s charges here.
