On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the Supreme Court of California suspended Attorney Daniel Jay Bramzon from practicing law for one year, with the suspension stayed and Bramzon placed on probation for one year. The decision follows a series of professional misconduct incidents during a 2020 trial in Ventura County Superior Court.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Daniel Jay Bramzon,” with case no. S289912.
The disciplinary action stems from Bramzon’s conduct during a commercial unlawful detainer case, Pacific Prime Properties v. Urban Home, Inc., in 2020. Representing the defendant, Bramzon engaged in multiple violations of court orders over several days, leading to two mistrials. On September 3, 2020, the court prohibited attorneys from directly asking jurors COVID-19-related questions during voir dire due to the ongoing pandemic. Despite this, Bramzon questioned jurors about their comfort with unmasked witnesses, prompting a contempt citation after he continued despite a court admonishment. That same day, he violated another court order by briefly lowering his mask in the courtroom, resulting in a second contempt citation.
Additionally, during voir dire, Bramzon made a statement about his client’s willingness to post $100,000 to postpone the trial, which the court deemed misleading and prejudicial. This led to a mistrial, as the court found the comment suggested the plaintiff was unreasonable and brought the court into disrepute. Bramzon further challenged the court’s ruling in front of jurors, implying the court withheld information about COVID-19 risks, which the court viewed as an attempt to delay proceedings.
On September 4 and 8, 2020, Bramzon and his client demanded COVID-19 screening questions upon entering the courthouse but then refused to answer them, causing delays. On September 8, the court ordered Bramzon to respond to each screening question in open court, but he failed to answer six questions, leading to six additional contempt citations and his removal from the case, triggering a second mistrial. The court later found Bramzon guilty of seven counts of contempt, imposing a $7,000 fine, with $5,000 stayed upon payment of $2,000, which he paid on December 18, 2020.
Bramzon failed to report the $2,000 sanction to the State Bar until August 14, 2024, despite a requirement to do so within 30 days, violating Business and Professions Code section 6068(o)(3).
The State Bar Court’s Order Approving Stipulation, filed on February 26, 2025, outlined these violations, including failure to respect court authority, non-compliance with court orders, and conduct prejudicial to justice. Aggravating factors included multiple acts of misconduct and harm to the judicial process, while mitigating factors included Bramzon’s 19 years of discipline-free practice, good character references from 14 individuals, and his eventual apology to the court.
Under the probation terms, Bramzon must comply with the State Bar Act, California Rules of Professional Conduct, and additional conditions, such as reviewing legal ethics rules, completing an e-learning course, and maintaining updated contact information with the State Bar. He must also submit quarterly reports and meet with the Office of Case Management and Supervision (OCMS). Disciplinary costs are awarded to the State Bar, enforceable as a money judgment. If Bramzon meets all probation requirements, the one-year suspension will be lifted.
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Bramzon is a litigation attorney in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of Chicago Law School. He acquired his law license in California in 2001.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
