Mr. Reeves has been before the Mississippi Supreme Court in the past as someone sent this case to me, IN THE SUPREME COURT OF MISSISSIPPI, NO. 96-CA-01018-SCT
CONSOLIDATED WITH NO. 97-CA-00814-SCT; BILL McBRIDE v. MERIDIAN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF MERIDIAN.
In this case, Mr. Reeves was publicly admonished by the Mississippi Supreme Court after appealing the following decision by the trial court:
On May 22, 1997, a subsequent hearing was conducted by the Chancellor on the City's Motion for Fees and Costs Pursuant to the Litigation Accountability Act of 1988. By Opinion and Judgment dated June 25, 1997, the Chancellor entered judgment in favor of the City against McBride's attorney, John R. Reeves, in the amount of $9778.93......
The Court, in affirming the sanctions against Mr. Reeves for filing a frivolous lawsuit, ruled:
As an attorney and legislator, Mr. Reeves is aware of Litigation Accountability Act of 1988 and is expected not file a lawsuit that is without substantial justification. He had every opportunity to research and insure that this claim had a hope of survival; he chose to file this suit and to pursue it even after he learned of the validation proceedings. Even if Mr. Reeves filed this suit with a hope of success, once he learned of the validation proceedings he should have voluntarily dismissed this suit...
Interesting.
8 comments:
JanMarKil
Mr. Reeves is a fine upstanding man in various communities. I have the utmost respect for him. I have done work for him. I have never heard a negative word about him whatsoever.
I do believe he was ONLY court ordered to pay attorney fees. Which, by the way, is very common across the board. This is NOT the first time in the history of either the USA or Mississippi this has happened.
Kingfish, you are on a witch hunt.
You are ONLY making yourself look very small.
1 Timothy 5:1-2
"Never administer a sharp reprimand to a man older than yourself; but entreat him as if he were your father, and the younger men as brothers"
A sanction for filing a frivilous lawsuit under the Litigation Accountability Act is NOT a common event. I have practiced law for over 8 years, and am aware of this occuring on only a few occasions. I'm not passing judgment on Reeves, because I don't know the details of this case, but when an attorney gets sanctioned, its an UNCOMMON event and is a blemish on his record.
you got it Cat. I have nothing against Mr. Reeves and am on no witch hunt.
If anything, I would love to see McCoy deposed so to achieve that Reeves needs to win so the witchunt does not hold water. Especially since this is the FIRST time I have posted anything about him here.
and where did I insult Mr. Reeves? I just thought it was an interesting case and most lawyers are not insulted by the Supreme Court. If you knew anything about the law you would know such to be the case.
JanMarKil
A Chancellor friend of mine just confirmed that it "IS NOT" uncommon for this to happen. She has practiced law for 20 years prior to becoming a Judge. She has been a Judge for the past 10 years.
being sued for lawyers fees or sanctions in a lawsuit is one thing. Happens quite a bit. Actually winning such a motion is a different story. Getting called out by the SC like that is more rare.
JanMarKil
My Chancellor friend begs to differ.
Perhaps if you knew which questions to ask the Chancellor it would help.
Fines are issued by Chancellors all the time to lawyers for contempt of court.
Rule 11 sanctions are NOT issued all the time and are much more serious.
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