The NY Post’s Page 6 reported that Libbie Mugrabi will represent herself in court in her reopened divorce case.
“I’m going to represent myself in this case,” Libbie Mugrabi, 41, told a judge during a video hearing last week. “I find that the attorneys are not … in my best interest or my children’s.”
In April, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge ordered exes Libbie and David Mugrabi — whose divorce has been called the nastiest in New York City — to exchange expensive artwork plus cars, including a vintage Ferrari, on May 6 in the Hamptons, AU News reported. David Mugrabi is an esteemed art collector.
Libbie Mugrabi alleges her famed art dealer ex violated that separation agreement by maliciously giving her damaged art valued well below the $16 million he had agreed they were worth.
She also insists she cannot maintain their children’s standard of living on $79,000 a month in support payments and wants it to be restored to nearly $100,000 a month.
She is now demanding the court invalidate their separation agreement and restart their bitter settlement negotiations.
Libbie’s lawyer, evidently walked off the case, as Page 6 reported: Earlier in the hearing, Libbie’s lawyer Kenneth Jewell asked to be let off the case saying that he has had a hard time getting a hold of his client and working with her on the few occasions he was able to speak with her. He also claimed she owes him roughly $17,000.
Mugrabi claims, she dismissed her attorney, when Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Douglas Hoffman pressed Libbie several times.
“I asked Mr. Jewell to withdraw,” she said, before eventually declaring that she would represent herself.
“I’ve allowed your attorney to withdraw as your counsel,” Hoffman later said. “You’ve gone through this multiple times before.”
Page 6 reported on some of the court action:
When Hoffman asked if David’s lawyer, John Teitler, had an objection to his ex-wife representing herself, he said he wanted to just get on with the matter.
“We don’t want any further delays,” Teitler told the judge in court.
“Since the matter was settled, there have been a revolving door of attorneys [peddling] these baseless claims and these incorrect assertions of damaged art.”
“So long as the [case] dates don’t slide, and this doesn’t turn into some sort of circus, then we should proceed,” Teitler added, asking that Libbie be held to the same standard as any other lawyer.
Libbie and Teitler got into a heated exchange later on in the proceeding.
“Mrs. Mugrabi has made various threats, has engaged in harassing conduct, some of which we’ve outlined,” Teitler said.
Libbie cut in: “This is not true” — prompting the judge to remind her to not interrupt.
“He has to stop talking bad about me in the court. This isn’t personal,” Libbie responded
