James J. Culleton | Attorney

JAMES J. CULLETON, received his Bachelor's Degree from Manhattan College in 1970 and his Juris Doctor Degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1973. He is admitted to practice law in the States of New York and New Jersey.

Mr. Culleton was appointed an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, Mario Merola, in 1973. Over the next eleven years, Mr. Culleton prosecuted numerous felony cases as a member of the Supreme Court, Major Offense and Investigations Bureaus. Mr. Culleton was appointed Chief of Rackets Bureau in 1981 where he supervised all major white collar and organized crime prosecutions for the Bronx District Attorney.

In 1985, Mr. Culleton left the District Attorneys Office to form the firm of CULLETON and MARINACCIO concentrating in the field of criminal and civil litigation.

While in private practice, Mr. Culleton has tried all types of criminal and civil matters, including high profile cases, in Federal and State Courts in New York and New Jersey. In April 2008, Mr. Culleton successfully represented Detective Michael Oliver, tried in Supreme Court, Queens County, in the Sean Bell shooting case. In February 2000, Mr. Culleton successfully represented Police Officer Richard Murphy, tried in Albany County, in the Amadoo Diallo shooting case, which occurred in Bronx County. During the same month as the Diallo shooting trial, Mr. Culleton and his partner, Michael Marinaccio, successfully concluded and obtained a $16.5 million dollars verdict in the New York State Court of Claims (Guido v. The State of New York) for catastrophic personal injuries suffered by a 42 year old Westchester County resident and his wife in 1992 when a tree fell on their jeep while they were traveling on the Hutchinson River Parkway. The total award, including interest, exceeded 21 million dollars. In February 2002, Mr Culleton successfully represented New York Police Department Deputy Inspector Dennis Sindone, on police corruption and drug related charges, tried in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In June 2002, Mr. Culleton successfully represented Police Officer Thomas Mullins on assault charges, tried in Superior Court in Jersey City, New Jersey. In June 1995, Mr. Culleton successfully represented Benjamin Segarra on Federal RICO charges, tried in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (United States v. Giampa). In July 1990, Mr. Culleton successfully represented Salvatore Candela in one of the "pizza connection" Federal drug conspiracy cases, tried in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (United States v Gambino ).

Another noteworthy case handled by Mr. Culleton and his partner, Michael Marinaccio, was the representation of Vincent Gigante in June, 1997 on Federal RICO charges, tried in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

In June 2009, Mr. Culleton tried and obtained a 2.5 Million dollar jury verdict in Supreme Court, Bronx County "Dumitriu vs. 4525/4555 Apartments Corp."

In addition, Mr. Culleton has tried and successfully represented clients in numerous homicide cases, stock fraud cases, tax fraud cases, public corruption cases and DUI related cases.

Currently, Mr. Culleton is a member of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.