Judge sends attorney to Law Association for investigation

Justice Judith Jones in a written judgment said the attorney’s conduct required a full and immediate investigation.

She said what happened to Joash Morris, of Belmont, was “extremely unfortunate.” Morris had sued Capital Insurance, and the driver of a car, for damages for injuries sustained in an accident in 2004.

In 2007, Jones gave judgment in the sum of $420,000 — the settlement figure agreed to by the attorney and the insurance company.

In his lawsuit, which he claimed he suffered injuries to the eye, leg, lower back, knee and ankle, asked for $581,003.34 in special damages and $250,000 in general damages.

In July, this year, Yaseen Ahmed, another attorney representing Morris, filed an application in the court contending that the $420,000 awarded to Morris as settlement was made in his absence and without his consent.

In her ruling, Jones pointed out that Morris never gave his attorney instructions to settle for the sum of $425,000, although he received two cheques in the sum of $250,000 and another for $99,850.

But Jones, in her judgment, said she could not set aside the settlement order, adding that it was an unfortunate state of affairs.

“The application raises a hornet’s nest. In my view, the facts present a much wider and more serious problem and one that requires a full and immediate investigation,” the judge said.