Judge arrested for elder theft of Berkeley neighbors

June 15, 2012 12:09 pm by Tracey Taylor

Judge Paul Seeman. Photo: ABC7 News

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Paul David Seeman has been charged with elder financial abuse and was in custody Thursday night on $525,000 bail.

Seeman, 57, has been under investigation by the Berkeley police for many months, according to media reports. He is accused of stealing as much as $1.6 million from his neighbor, Anne Nutting, 97, after her husband, Lee, died in 1999 at age 90. He also allegedly sold her art and other possessions, tried to bar her from her own home, and used her garage to store his 1957 Ford Thunderbird, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Court documents state that Seeman began stealing from Nutting in 1999 after she and her husband were banned from living in their home on Santa Barbara Road in Berkeley because it was deemed to be uninhabitable. The couple were hoarders and the Berkeley Fire Department deemed it unfit during a visit to treat Lee Nutting, 89, for a fall.

At the time, Seeman was an attorney focusing on juvenile law and lived across the street from the couple, court documents state. He offered to help them with their legal troubles.

“The alleged conduct of Judge Seeman is both disturbing and disappointing,” said Deputy District Attorney Teresa Drenick, a spokeswoman for her office. “His alleged conduct is in no way a reflection of the outstanding caliber of judicial officers serving Alameda County.”

Neighbors of Seeman have expressed shock and surprise at the development. One described him as “a top-notch, stand-up guy,” while another, Anne Nesbet, said: ”Paul is a saint in this. I’m absolutely, 1,000% sure that Paul is on the side of the angels.”

Seeman, a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, was named to the bench by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009.

View the the complaint filed by the District Attorney.

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9 Comments

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  • BHills

    I truly hope that BPD got this right.  On the other hand, if they did, I assume that each and every decision that this judge made will be subject to review and dismissal if he found anyone guilty or liable.

  • Guestopherson

    Reading the entire story in the Chron made me feel physically ill.  This kind of thing happens way too often, because it’s too damned easy for creeps like this to move in on their elderly victims and rob them blind.  Everyone who has financial POA for someone else — even if they’re an immediate family member — should be subject to a routine audit at least once a year.  Sure, that would be intrusive and unpleasant for the honest caregivers out there, but still preferable to the current state of affairs, which leaves the door open to horrific abuses. 

    And the neighbors who say he’s a great guy — good grief.  How naive can you get?  ANY time a non-relative starts taking a strong interest in helping an elderly person manage their assets, or in making themselves “indispensable” to that person in other ways, it should set off alarm bells.  The alarm might turn out to be false, but better safe than sorry.  Sad to say, family members aren’t always trustworthy either, but helpful strangers or near-strangers who suddenly materialize at the side of someone in distress have are usually predators.

  • Guest

    I don’t think what you say is reasonable or rational. Just because this judge committed multiple perjuries should be be grounds for dismissal of the findings of fact and guilt that he has made as a judge. As a judge, his decisions were based on facts presented by two sides, repped by attorneys. He was a trier of fact as a judge. True, we want judges with impeccable integrity but it would lack integrity to throw out all his judicial decisions. Review his judicial decisions and, yes, closely scrutinize any that show an opporunity for the judge to take unfair financial advantage . .. but he was a juvie court judge and not likely involved in any perjury in that role.

    Does this question his integrity?  Absolutely but it should not wholesale dismiss all his judicial decisions. That would be nuts.

    Too bad it took so long to file these charges. Looks like he should not have been on the bench once the investigators realized they were onto something so serious.

  • BHills

     I think we agree.  I suggested not automatic dismissal but review and dismissal if warranted.

  • TN

    This is not an unusual crime. It happens in all socio-economic groups. The victims aren’t just folks who have a lot of assets. An old person, with no close family, living on Social Security can just as well be victimized.

    If you see a situation where you become concerned, the agency to start calling is Alameda County Adult Protective Services. This agency, like so many social services agencies, is over burdened. When you call, make sure that you have gathered as much information as you can about the situation and that you can back it up. Make sure your information is as specific as you can find out. It helps to put every thing you know in writing and offer to fax it to the agency. It also helps to have others, like neighbors or family members, also call and write the agency with specific concerns and details. You can also go down to the Alameda County courthouse and search the records to see if there is already a conservatorship or other arrangement on file.

    If it seems that the agency is not promptly opening an investigation, and you think it is urgently needed, start contacting other agencies like the police. And also contacting your representative to the County Board of Supervisors, which oversees Adult Protective Services, may be productive in prompting action.

  • Stephanie Allan

    I’ve known Paul for over 10 years.  He’s devoted his professional life to advocacy for kids and is one of the most thoroughly decent human beings I’ve met.  I don’t believe this accusation and remind people this information comes from the DA and can hardly be anything but one-sided.  What is so tragic is that a good person, an excellent judge and a wonderful man has been tarnished and damaged by this.

  • Petsitter101

    I also know Paul and I cannot fathom that he is guilty of these charges. 

  • bgal4

    “remind people this information comes from the DA”

    Blaming the DA for the accusations is just silly Stephanie.  Anne Nutting hired an attorney to assist her in revoking Seeman’s POA when she wanted to move back into her home, at this point the accusations and trail of questionable actions became  worthy of scrutiny.

    It appears Seeman had plenty of opportunities to produce documentation proving no wrong doing prior to DA charging him with a crime.

  • Dave

    The SOB did the deed because he thought he could get away with it. The victims had no heirs: who would know. For those of you who support the SOB, to demonstrate your faith, why don’t you give the SOB a POA on your personal assets…..i thought so. Money talks.