The Mississippi Supreme Court's Complaint Tribunal suspended Hattiesburg attorney Cory Ferraez from the practice of law today.
The Mississippi Bar sought his immediate suspension in August after it received two informal complaints against the lawyer.
The first complaint involves Ferraez client Jerome Orloff. The attorney received two insurance check of $38,784 (March 2023) and $45,000 (November 2024) for Orloff. However, Ferraez did not disburse $39,163 to the client as he was supposed to do. Orloff sued Ferraez for the remainder of his settlement in Forrest County Circuit Court in June. Earlier post.
The infamous Weatherford estate case is the subject of the second complaint. Sylvia Weatherford's husband was killed in a car wreck. Ferraez represented her in a wrongful death lawsuit. The insurance company settled the case for $450,000 and sent the check to Ferraez in early 2024. The retired widow lives on a fixed income and struggled to pay her bills. She was forced to take out multiple pre-settlement loans at high interest rates while her attorney kept the funds.
Perry County Chancellor Sheila Smallwood held a show cause hearing in June and ordered Ferraez to deposit the funds with the Court. However, Ferraez did not appear for the hearing nor did he deposit said funds. The Court ordered his incarceration. While staying on the lam for a month, Ferraez deposited $215,000 with the Court. The attorney surrendered on Bastille Day.
Ferraez explained to Judge Smallwood he withheld $195,168 for his fees and expenses as approved by the Court. The Chancellor busted the lying attorney, stating she never approved any fees as she recited the record. She ordered him incarcerated. Ferraez served two weeks in jail before Judge Smallwood ordered his release. The Court gave Ferraez 30 days to pay $185,168 or else he would be incarcerated again.
The Bar noticed something Ferraez said at his contempt hearing:
9. Mr. Ferraez also testified at the July 14, 2025, hearing that he suffered from depression and addiction issues that severely limit his ability to practice law.
The deadline for paying $195,168 rolled around on August 24 yet Ferraez only deposited two money orders for a grand total of $2,000.
The Bar asked the Court to immediately suspend Ferraez from the practice of law while it adjudicates his formal bar complaint as it argued embezzling a client's funds was the most serious offense a lawyer could commit in the practice of law.*
The bar complaint provides more information. Judge Smallwood reported Ferraez's transgressions to the Bar. The complaint states the Bar received information from the Chancellor that "Mr. Ferraez misappropriated wrongful death settlement proceeds."
The complaint states Ferraez did not respond to either complaint as required by the Mississippi Bar. The Bar recounted past discipline against the wayward attorney. The Bar issued a public reprimand against Ferraez in 2018 after he ran for office in one county while living in another.
The Tribunal agreed with the Bar and suspended the lawyer. The order does not specify a term for the suspension.
Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson presided over the Tribunal.
Ferraez is currently under indictment for embezzlement. The case is set to go to trial in March 2026. Special Circuit Judge
7 comments:
No blessing for this white boy.
Why, he was doing such a good job lawyering! He lost his freeking ethics.
Thank God! I feel pretty sure that Kingfish bringing this to the public's attention helped make this happen.
alabama is a good place for this con artist.
NOOO! Not on Bastille Day! The holiest of holidays!!!
It won’t cost him much because he has lost any paying clients.
Crystal Methodist.
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