Jose Camacho forged more than 100 judicial signatures in financial settlement cases, though strangely he never actually benefited from the fraud.

He claimed he did it simply because he was overwhelmed with work and wanted to avoid waiting for judges to sign off on paperwork.

“I’ve always been responsible. I was raised to do things the right way. I had a lapse in judgment,” Camacho said at Broward Criminal Court, the Miami Herald reports.

Judge Ellen Sue Venzer said: “In today’s environment, lawyer jokes are abundant. You’ve heard the one about what’s 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? A good start”.

She added: “You not only reinforce that stereotype, but you buttress the idea that lawyers can’t be trusted.”

Camacho pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and was sentenced to 364 days’ imprisonment and 10 years’ probation.