Woman lied about being a lawyer in court, NC cops say. Her ‘client’ didn’t know
A woman in North Carolina went to court pretending to be a lawyer on two separate occasions, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.
There’s just one problem: She’s never been a licensed attorney, officials said.
Mary Saunders Powell, 57, of Reidsville was arrested on two counts of practicing law without a license, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Monday. The charges stem from her appearance in civil court Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 on behalf of 31-year-old Leslie Livengood.
The pair were acquainted through Livengood’s dog grooming business in Stokesdale, according to the release.
“Unbeknownst to Livengood at the time, Powell is not currently, nor has never been, a licensed attorney, according to the North Carolina State Bar,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Sgt. Kevin Suthard, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, told McClatchy news group that the civil suit in which Powell was impersonating a lawyer was “domestic in nature.”
Powell is listed as retired on an arrest report provided to McClatchy news group. She also goes by the name Mary Phibbs Powell, according to the report.
Officers arrested her at her home in Reidsville on Friday and took her to the Rockingham County Detention Facility, where she was issued a $5,000 bond. Powell’s next court date is Dec. 5.
