EDWIN Castro’s rival Jose Rivera is scrambling to get a lawyer after failing to file court papers for six months, a court heard on Thursday.

The Los Angeles gardener is still suing the Powerball winner claiming he cashed in a stolen lottery ticket after the November 2022 draw.

Edwin Castro has stayed silent over the civil case and claims made by Jose RiveraCredit: Lalo/PPC – Commissioned by The US Sun Digital edition

A defiant Jose Rivera says he is hiring yet another new lawyer for the civil caseCredit: Connellan

Castro is being backed by the California Lottery and provided exclusive photographs of the ticket to The U.S. Sun, while officials say there is clear surveillance footage.

Nevertheless, Rivera is refusing to withdraw his complaint and has been told he has two weeks to get a lawyer to respond to a demurrer filed by Castro’s team.

Rivera appeared in court in Alhambra before Judge William Crowfoot, who repeatedly told him to stop interrupting him during a fiery hearing.

The 49-year-old, whose first language is Spanish, is representing himself after losing several lawyers in the case and admitted he did not understand the legal process.

A demurrer is a written statement or plea that challenges the sufficiency or clarity of another party’s legal complaint, and if upheld by a judge could mean the case could be dismissed.

Crowfoot said, “The demurrer says, ‘the complaint has the following fatal defects’ and I agree so I sustained the demurrer without leave to amend because nobody responded that said, ‘No, no, no it doesn’t have that legal defect.'”

Rivera cut in and said, “I have so much evidence,” as he failed to understand what was asked of him.

Judge Crowfoot said there was a limit to how much he could explain, but if he’s defending himself he should have filed his opposition to the demurrer.

LAST CHANCE

Rivera begged for more time to hire a lawyer, and Castro’s attorney Michael Freedman argued that they filed the demurrer back on February 29.

Freedman said although he is representing himself he should be held to the same standards as an attorney working on his behalf, adding, “Half a year has gone by without any opposition. I don’t think it’s appropriate at this late juncture to allow further leave to amend.”

He added that he could have filed his opposition on his own, and he’s had plenty of time to get an attorney and file the papers.

While saying it would be prejudicial to his client to further delay the proceedings, Rivera interrupted and Judge Crowfoot told him, “I’m going to ask you to be quiet.”

Crowfoot went on, “You had six months to deal with this, why are you shaking your head and saying no?

“I get it that you don’t know what a demurrer is, most people don’t. However, most people are not suing someone else for $2 billion.”

Crowfoot agreed to give him until August 16 to file an opposition to the demurrer.

He asked him to get a lawyer immediately and scheduled a court hearing for August 29.

Crowfoot explained this would be his last chance otherwise the case likely will be dismissed.

“Your lawyer or you need to file your opposition, got it?” he added.

The tentative ruling obtained by The U.S. Sun, reads, “Plaintiff notably does not allege that Castro was ever in possession of the ticket purchased by Plaintiff.

“Instead, Plaintiff alleges that Romero ‘asserted stories of how the ‘lost’ winning ticket found its way to [Defendant].’

“Therefore, there does not appear to be a controversy between Defendant and Plaintiff regarding the ownership of Plaintiff’s ticket.

“Furthermore, no ‘actual controversy’ exists between Defendant and Plaintiff as to the lottery winnings because a bettor’s right to a share of the winnings ‘accrues solely from possession of a winning ticket, not from the mere purchase of a ticket.'”

The U.S. Sun spoke to Rivera after the hearing on Thursday, who admitted his attorney told him to file the opposition before he removed himself from the case, but he had forgotten.

“The judge was nice to me, he was so nice to me, and I appreciate him,” Rivera said.

Asked if he is able to get a lawyer in the next few weeks, he said, “Yes I will. I will work something out. I have someone in mind. I’m not going to let this go.”

The hearing comes after Rivera told The U.S. Sun he signed the back of the lottery ticket and wrote down his sister’s address in Pasadena before it was allegedly stolen.

Photographs of Castro’s winning ticket, published earlier this month, show the back of the slip left blank.

A photo of the front of the ticket shows greasy fingerprints said to be from Castro, a former mechanic.

The Powerball drawing for the world record jackpot took place at 8:57 am on November 8 at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, according to NC Lottery.

The winning numbers were: 10, 33, 41, 47, 56, and 10, while the Power Play multiplier was 2X.

Rivera will also appear in criminal court in Pasadena on August 13 after being charged with filing a false police complaint.

He has pleaded guilty and passed a psychiatric evaluation, insisting he is “not crazy.”

Edwin Castro’s greasy Powerball ticket was revealed showing it was a $20 Quick PickCredit: Edwin Castro

Castro’s ticket was not signed on the back, while Rivera alleges he signed his nameCredit: Edwin Castro