By Rounder Life News Team
In the latest twist in the lawsuit filed by Maurice “Mac” Verstandig on behalf of 88 plaintiffs against Stones Gambling Hall, the court denied VerStandig’s motion to withdraw as counsel.
As previously reported, VerStandig submitted the “Notice Of Motion To Withdraw As Counsel” for the remaining 27 Plaintiffs who did not sign a settlement agreement reached between the parties. A leaked term sheet obtained by PokerNews, revealed 62 plaintiffs were to receive their share of $40,000, “which worked out to $645.16 per player before attorney fees”.
“For the reasons discussed in the hearing on October 20, 2020, and because the court is unwilling to allow Maurice VerStandig and Julian K. Bach to withdraw as counsel with some plaintiffs still remaining in the case, Mr. VerStandig and Mr. Bach’s Motion to Withdraw as counsel of record for plaintiffs (Docket No. 73) is DENIED.” – Judge William B. Shubb
VerStandig came under fire from some in the “poker community” for a statement he put out as part of the settlement, first reported by The Sacramento Bee, which cleared Stones and Kuraitis of “any sort of cheating.”
One of the settlement holdouts, Jake Rosenstiel, who revealed he had tried to catch alleged cheater Mike Postle in the act, didn’t hold any punches, “Mac you lied to your clients and the community. You can go f*#k yourself too.”
Shaun Deeb suggested “poker players working under him also bail…”
While denying the motion to withdraw by counsel, the court went on to explain, “The remaining plaintiffs have thirty days to file an amended complaint if they can do so consistent with this court’s June 3, 2020 Order granting defendants’ motion to dismiss on (Docket No. 63).”
It’s not clear how the exoneration of Stones and Kuraitis will affect a possible amended complaint going forward.
In 2007 Rounder Magazine recognized Mike Postle as an elite pro and provided him with merchandise to promote the Rounder brand. No other considerations have been provided. Mr. Postle has never had ownership rights, nor has he ever been employed by Rounder. Rounder Life Media is not in a position to determine Mike Postle's guilt or innocence. This will be determined by the official investigation(s) being conducted, or through a court of law, not speculation. We will continue to pursue all relevant facts related to this case and report such, whether they support or disprove the charges.
