A Manhattan lawyer has spent more than 12 years filing suits against his ex-wife since their marriage ended, abusing the legal system so much that this month his license was suspended.
Peter Davey, 70, has tried to sue his own son, his in-laws and even the man who bought his $1.2 million Westchester home following the divorce in an attempt to get his money and his house back.
He’s never won a case.
“Davey’s theory is he is the victim of a vast conspiracy,” said commercial litigator David Wrobel, who represents home buyer Brian Costello. “He won’t give up despite every decision going against him.”
Even after a Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed the suit against Costello this year, Davey filed a wacky motion “to safeguard the integrity of courts” on Oct. 3.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Davey wrote in the motion, in which he compared himself to a Madoff whistleblower.
“Consider claims against Kobe Bryant … and others, as well as wrongful actions of women against men,” Davey added. “Domestic violence is not a one-way street.”
Davey’s crusade began in 2000, when his wife filed for divorce after cops busted him for alleged domestic violence. His wife was also granted a restraining order, barring him from their Bedford home. Criminal charges were dropped, but Davey has fought to clear his name.
The legal eagle claims his wife had no job, alcohol dependency and financial problems and thus filed a fraudulent police report to divorce and extort him, according to court documents.
In 2001, Davey filed a suit in state Supreme Court against his ex-wife, her brother and her attorneys — claiming he was a victim of false arrest, fraud, perjury and abuse of power.
Davey hauled his ex’s attorney Mary Kelly into court six times since 2003, alleging malicious prosecution and defamation.
There were two jury trials before Davey’s divorced was final in 2004. His house was sold for nearly $1.2 million, and the judge ordered the proceeds go to back taxes and other judgments before being distributed equally to Davey and his ex-wife.
Davey appealed the divorce in 2005 but lost. A year later, he tried to sue the state of New York and the judge in his divorce case for alleged fraud and collusion.
He also went to federal court against his wife and her sister again — seeking $7 million in damages.
Davey owes at least $28,000 in legal fees relating to his suits. When reached outside his E. 58th Street apartment, he denied who he was. “I don’t know where he is. Why don’t you call him?” Davey told a reporter.
The lawyer told a Supreme Court disciplinary panel that he spends 40 to 50 hours a week on litigation involving his divorce.
In an Oct. 10 decision to disbar Davey for two years, the panel wrote that Davey would choose permanent disbarment over giving up his litigation, which “has become his life’s cause.”