Politics & Government

Woman Who Pretended to be Lawyer in OC Didn't Show Up in Court

The woman allegedly claimed her name was Ellen Williams and that she was the inmate's attorney.

A woman accused of falsely representing herself as an attorney to an Orange County jail inmate did not appear in court this week as scheduled, prompting a judge to issue a warrant for her arrest.

Ellen Anise Rowland, 56, of Elk Grove, is charged with a misdemeanor count of unauthorized practice of law and a felony count of possession of a controlled substance.

Rowland did not appear for a pretrial hearing today.

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About 11 a.m., March 20, Rowland spoke with an inmate at one of the jails, Deputy District Attorney Chris Duff alleged. Before that she accepted $1,700 from the inmate's father to legally represent him, Duff alleged.

When sheriff's deputies at the jail asked Rowland to provide identification she allegedly claimed her name was Ellen Williams and that she was the inmate's attorney, Duff alleged.

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Rowland gave deputies the state bar number of a licensed attorney without the lawyer's permission, Duff alleged. Rowland also had 11 Vicodin pills without a valid prescription in her vehicle, Duff alleged.

-- City News Service


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