Attorney Hit With $1,000 Sanction for Frivolous Change of Venue Request

A New York appellate court upheld the imposition of $1,000 in sanctions against a claimants' attorney for making a frivolous change-of-venue request. Case: Matter of Vallecillo v. New York City Department of Corrections, No. 521167, 12/24/2015, published. Facts: Daniel Vallecillo, a resident of Brooklyn, worked as a corrections officer in Queens. He hired Gerarda M. Rella of Rella & Associates to file a workers' compensation claim on his behalf. Vallecillo then filed a request that the hearing on his claim be held in the City of White Plains, in Westchester County. He said he w...