Taylar Nuevelle opted to dismiss her own civil lawsuit today against District of Columbia Superior Court Magistrate Judge Janet Albert, halting the trial midway through proceedings and bringing an end to one of the last open matters in the years-long legal drama.
Nuevelle is serving a 66-month sentence for stalking Albert, but had sued the judge in Oct. 2008, accusing her of refusing to return her belongings and of owing her money for the care of a minor who stayed with them for several weeks. The two dated for about a year, between August 2007 and September 2008.
The bench trial before Superior Court Judge Judith Macaluso began on Tuesday. Pursuing her case without an attorney, Nuevelle put herself on the stand to testify and was being cross-examined this morning by Albert’s attorney, Schertler & Onorato partner Robert Spagnoletti.
Spagnoletti began asking Nuevelle about whether she had been coaching a witness in her case who had visited Nuevelle in jail earlier in the week. Nuevelle denied it and challenged Spagnoletti’s line of questioning. A discussion then ensued about how conversations recorded at the jailhouse are not confidential.
Nuevelle said she didn’t recall the conversation, at which point Spagnoletti asked if he should play the tape recording to refresh her recollection. Nuevelle turned to Macaluso and asked to have the case dismissed with prejudice, which Macaluso granted.
“Judge Albert is very pleased that the case has been dismissed. It was baseless and she’s relieved that with the dismissal of this case, the many legal matters brought by Ms. Nuevelle have finally come to an end,” Spagnoletti said this afternoon, speaking on Albert’s behalf.
Albert was appointed to the bench in August 2003.
Shortly after their relationship ended in September 2008, Nuevelle was arrested and charged with breaking in to Albert’s home and hiding out in her attic for two days.
A jury found Nuevelle guilty and she was sentenced in July 2010 to serve more than five years in prison. She is appealing her conviction. Court records list her attorney as Julian Greenspun of Gaithersburg, Md.
Nuevelle filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Albert in October 2008, accusing Albert of abusing her authority. A court representative confirmed the complaint was resolved a year ago, but could not provide any more details. Judicial misconduct complaints brought before the Committee on the Selection and Tenure of Magistrate Judges are not public record.
National Law Journal photo by Diego M. Radzinschi.
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