The son of big-time trial attorney Richard Scruggs followed hisdad's lead in pleading guilty in federal court to felony chargesrelated to an attempt to bribe a state judge in a Hurricane Katrinalawsuit.

David Zachary Scruggs pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court forthe Northern District of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., to onefelony charge of misprision, for failing to inform federalofficials about the attempt to influence the judge.

David Scruggs faces up to three years in prison, a $250,000 fineand one year of supervised release. He is expected to lose his lawlicense as well. He was released on probation pending a sentencinghearing. No date for sentencing was set.

He was originally charged with six felony counts for being partof a scheme to bribe state Circuit Court Judge Henry Lackey.Earlier, Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, David's father, and otherspleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy involving a plot to bribeJudge Lackey with $50,000 to decide a fee dispute in their favor.(See NU, March 24, page 8.)

Judge Lackey reported the incident to federal authorities. Heworked undercover, wearing a hidden device to record the attemptedbribe.

Richard Scruggs led a team of attorneys that brought a classaction for coastal homeowners against State Farm over claimsstemming from Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. The case involvingJudge Lackey was a dispute between the Scruggs firm and anotherattorney over fees from the $80 million settlement.

At his hearing, David Scruggs said he had "no knowledge" of aplot to bribe Judge Lackey but was aware that one attorney, TimBalducci, was attempting to use his close relationship with thejudge to influence the outcome of the case. According to courtrecords, Mr. Balducci became a cooperating witness and wore arecording device to collect evidence of the scheme.

"I didn't conspire to bribe Judge Lackey in connection with anarbitration order, and I would have stopped it had I known," DavidScruggs said, according to a court record.

Richard Scruggs, brother-in-law of former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott,R-Miss., who gained prominence bringing suit against tobaccocompanies, faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine andloss of his law license when he is sentenced.

None of the plea agreements exempt either Richard or DavidScruggs from any other possible legal actions or indictments.Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oxford, Miss., arereportedly looking into other cases involving the elderScruggs.