Willis Carto archive

Court of Appeal Upholds Multi-Million Dollar Judgment Against Carto, Liberty Lobby

November 3, 2000

The California Court of Appeal in San Diego has completely rejected claims by Willis Carto that he acted properly in diverting millions of dollars from the intended recipient, Legion for the Survival of Freedom (parent corporation of the Institute for Historical Review). This ruling confirms the lower court ruling of Judge Runston G. Maino of November 1996, awarding Legion in excess of $6 million dollars and other relief.

In a ruling filed October 31, the court denied every argument made by Carto, and sharply criticized the handling of the appeal. For years, Carto had been telling everyone that the Court of Appeal would vindicate him.

The court’s clearly-written 24-page decision takes into consideration virtually all of the testimony and evidence presented in this case, which was first filed in July 1994.

The court’s ruling notes that:

• the multi-million dollar bequest by Jean Farrel was never meant for anyone but the Legion;
• that Carto made numerous statements (even under penalty of perjury) confirming that this money was Legion’s;
• that Carto subsequently falsified documents in an attempt to take control of this money himself;
• that Carto had no position of authority with the Legion;
• that Carto had no claim to the money;
• that Carto is enjoined from holding himself out as having a position of authority with the Legion;
• that Carto and his attorney have misrepresented the facts in this case; and
• that there are no defects in the lower court decision.

Despite having lost battle after court room battle over many of these same issues, Carto steadfastly refuses to turn over the money, or even to account for it.

The full texts of the decision and the original judgment are available on-line.