Last week a Santa Clara Family Courtroom took on the age old " conflict of interest" issue. On a reconsideration motion, a wealthy father represented by " Below the Bar" lawyer Brad Baugh, and a wife represented by Joseph P. Russoniello, former FBI agent and US Attorney General, took the conflict of interest debate head on in Mary Ann Grilli's court . Mr. Russoniello seemed unprepared for the less than ethical conduct of Mr. Baugh and Mr. Dailey. Seems Mr. Russoniello drank some of the Kool-aid , that led him to believe he would get a fair hearing before Judge Grilli when Mr. Baugh is anywhere near her court. Mr. Russoniello may not know that the Grilli- Baugh duo wrote the conflict of interest handbook in Santa Clara family court, and are unlikely to put forth a ruling that rocks that status quo. It was hard not to laugh out loud when Mr. Dailey, appeals lawyer extraordinaire from the Elkins case, took the stand and expected the room to believe that he can teach lawyers in seminars all over the state, and can file more appeals than any other lawyer in California, but that he couldn't seem to remember how he got the number and made the call to the wife's lawyer's office to discuss the case. Maybe Mr. Dailey is short on time in family law and should retire if his memory is failing. It was high drama, big bucks and the trier of fact, ironically is Judge Mary Ann Grilli, who is no stranger of conflicts of interests herself. Recent high court rulings appear to be cracking down on conflicts for lawyers and judges, who don't take them seriously. Family law is a hot bed for conflicts, which has been tolerated and ignored for decades. A reporter who contributed to uncovering the Kids for Cash scandal in Pennsylvania , and police corruption scandals in California, with content published in the Monterey Herald and Sacramento Bee had a front row seat to the Santa Clara Family Court drama. The reporter who is working on similar issues in Sacramento has found all new material in Santa Clara and has come to stay a bit. One by one we will find the lawyers and judges not playing by the rules and who are willing to harm children and American Citizens to earn dirty lawyers outlandish fees.