CHRISTIAN RIVINIUS v. GABRIEL QUINNAN and JON VONDER HAAR, Sonoma County Superior Court Case Number SCV256275.



Attorney Jon Vonder Haar is described by the California Court of Appeals as the attorney for Franklin Lee, a child molester and who was also indicted on federal child pornography charges. The lawsuit was brought by the molester's victim.




According to Lawzilla's understanding of the Court of Appeals ruling, this is what happened:

The victim of a child molester sued in civil court and attorney Vonder Haar agreed to represent the molester. He was initially paid $20,000.

In the civil case there was an injunction order preventing the molester from transferring his assets.

On June 9th the victim gave notice to Vonder Haar that he would seek a restitution order in the criminal case. The request was made on June 11th. On the same day attorney Vonder Haar made an ex parte motion to vacate the injunction. A hearing was set for June 26th where the judge kept the injunction in place.

On June 12th, just one day after the request for restitution was made, and one day after Vonder Haar unsuccessfully made a motion to eliminate the injunction barring the molester from transferring his assets, the molester transferred $50,000 to Mr. Vonder Haar.

Then, just days before the June 26th hearing, attorney Vonder Haar accepted another $50,000 from the molester.







In September the molester claimed he only had $5000 in assets.




The victim then claimed there was a conspiracy between Jon Vonder Haar and the child molester to violate the law against fraudulent transfer of assets.

Attorney Vonder Haar then filed a demurrer claiming he could not be liable. He lost in the trial court and appealed.

The court of appeal affirmed, holding that the allegations against Jon Vonder Haar were properly made. The justices said there were sufficiently pled allegations that:

- Money was transferred after plaintiff filed a lawsuit

- Money was transferred a day after plaintiff sought restitution

- Money was transferred before the court could order restitution

- The money was a significant part of the molester's assets

- There was active concealment of the transfer

- The amount transferred to Vonder Haar was not reasonable for the services he was providing

Jon Vonder Haar also filed a special motion to strike the claims. This type of motion has a 60-day deadline but Vonder Haar missed the deadline.

He asked the judge for permission to file a late motion and was denied.





Lawzilla Commentary: If Jon Vonder Haar is found liable for helping a child molester hide $100,000 in assets he may not be practicing law much longer.

Based on what we read in the court of appeals opinion, we would not recommend this attorney.

If the allegations against Mr. Vonder Haar are true, helping a child molester hide $100,000 from the victim, then he would be a truly despicable human being.

Jon Vonder Haar was admitted to the California Bar in 1997. Bar Number 192665.

Vonder Haar Law Offices
703 2nd Street Suite 405
Santa Rosa, California 95404

Law School: John F. Kennedy