Mark Geragos Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here’s a look at the life of attorney Mark Geragos, known for his high profile clients.
Personal
Birth date: October 5, 1957
Birth place: Los Angeles, California
Birth name: Mark John Geragos
Father: Paul Geragos, attorney
Mother: Betty Jane Geragos
Marriage: Paulette (Kassabian) Geragos
Children: Jake and Teny
Education: Haverford College, B.A., 1979; Loyola Marymount University, J.D., 1982
Other Facts
Partner in the law firm Geragos & Geragos.
His clients have included Scott Peterson, Michael Jackson, Gary Condit, Chris Brown and Winona Ryder.
Timeline
1983 – Is admitted to the State Bar of California and joins his father’s law firm, Geragos & Geragos.
1997-1998 – One of his first high profile cases is when Geragos represents Susan McDougal in an embezzlement case. McDougal was earlier convicted of fraud in the Whitewater case that involved Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton. She is acquitted of the embezzlement charges.
2001 – Represents Clinton’s brother, Roger Clinton, who was arrested on drunken driving charges. Clinton pleads guilty to a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.
2001 – Represents rapper Nate Dogg, who pleads no contest to a misdemeanor charge of carrying an unmarked firearm. A felony charge is dropped in exchange for the plea.
2001-2002 – Represents Gary Condit as law enforcement investigate the death of Chandra Levy.
2002 – Represents Winona Ryder, who is charged with felony grand theft and vandalism for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue. Ryder is sentenced to three years of probation and counseling.
May 2003 – Announces he will represent Scott Peterson, charged with murdering his pregnant wife, Laci. Peterson is found guilty and sentenced to the death penalty.
2003-2004 – Represents Jackson when he is charged with child molestation. Jackson replaces Geragos, saying he wants a lawyer who will devote his full time to the case.
2008 – Geragos and partner Pat Harris win a lawsuit against Jeffrey Borer and his charter jet company XtraJet for secretly recording Geragos, Harris and client Jackson on a flight.
2009 – Represents Chris Brown when he is charged with assaulting his then-girlfriend, Rihanna. Brown is sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to complete a domestic violence program.
2013 – Geragos’ book, written with Pat Harris, “Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works…and Sometimes Doesn’t” is released.
October 15, 2017 – Represents Colin Kaepernick when he files a civil lawsuit against the NFL. The lawsuit alleges collusion to keep Kaepernick from being signed by any team after he continued kneeling to protest the treatment of black Americans during the singing of the National Anthem prior to NFL games.
February 2019 – Represents actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago. Charges against Smollett are later dropped, after he agrees to community services and forfeiture of bond.
March 25, 2019 – Is an unnamed co-conspirator mentioned in the Southern District of New York criminal complaint of extortion against Michael Avenatti, a source familiar with the case confirmed to CNN. The complaint described the co-conspirator as “an attorney licensed in California who’s known for his representation of celebrity and public figure clients.” Geragos is never charged with a crime relating to the matter.
April 23, 2019 – The Osundairo brothers involved in Smollett case file a lawsuit alleging defamation and false light. The lawsuit names Geragos as a defendant.
April 20, 2020 – Geragos is lead attorney in federal lawsuits between his firm and Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America over business interruption due to the coronavirus pandemic. The consolidated lawsuit, which includes a counterclaim, is dismissed April 27, 2021. Judgment in favor of Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America is ordered June 9, 2021.
March 18, 2022 – Geragos files a “malicious prosecution” countersuit against the Osundairo brothers involved in Smollett case. Geragos asserts that the lawsuit filed against him by the brothers includes “frivolous and fraudulent” claims.
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