Jackson Jambalaya

The Mississippi Bar suspended Hattiesburg attorney Vanessa Jones for six months after finding she misused her trust account.  A Bar Tribunal issued a default judgment against Ms. Jones after she failed to turn over her trust account bank records as ordered. 

Ms. Jones represented Candise Hill after Ms. Hill was injured in an automobile accident.  Farm Bureau Insurance paid Ms. Hill $50,000 to settle the claim. Ms. Jones deposited the funds in her trust account.  Ms. Jones distributed $35,000 to her client and kept $15,000 for her fee. However, there was just one problem. 

Prior to the settlement, Ms. Hill (via Ms. Jones)  borrowed $7,200 against the settlement from High Rise Financial.  The lender placed a lien on any settlement as is standard for such loans.  However, Ms. Jones distributed the funds to her client and herself, ignoring the lien and thus stiffing the lender.  

High Rise Financial reported Ms. Jones to the Bar in 2021 (p.106).  High Rise provides loans to plaintiffs awaiting settlement of their cases.  The lender places a lien on the settlement to ensure repayment.  High Rise apparently loaned $6,829 to Ms. Jones' client.   The lender accused Ms. Jones of disbursing the settlement while ignoring the lien.  

The Bar filed a complaint against Ms. Jones in May 2024, accusing the attorney of mismanaging her trust account.  The Bar observed (p.6): 

22. The IOLTA account bank records for Ms. Jones' firm for the months of  July 2018 through January 2023 show multiple personal and/ or business expenses improperly paid from the trust account.

23. Ms. Jones has admitted to disbursing funds from the trust account for business and personal expenses, including but not limited to payments to family members, contract employees, and a restaurant owned by Ms. Jones.

24. In January 2023, Ms.Jones closed the trust account, stating that someone hacked into the account and withdrew funds on two separate occasions. Ms. Jones failed to report these incidents to the Mississippi Bar

The Bar asked for the bank statements of Ms. Jones' trust account but she refused to turn them over to the Bar.  

A Bar Tribunal ordered the lawyer to submit the records by June 19, 2025.  After Ms. Jones refused to supply the records, the Bar moved for a default judgment and asked the Tribunal to suspend her license for six months. 

The Tribunal suspended Vanessa Jones from the practice of law for six months on December 9.  Ms. Jones must notify all clients of her suspension in writing  and submit an affidavit to the Mississippi Supreme Court stating she did so. 

Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson presided over the tribunal.  Ms. Jones sought her recusal but Judge Peterson refused to recuse as she observed Ms. Jones didn't seek her recusal until Judge Peterson issued rulings adverse to the Hattiesburg attorney. Indeed, Judge Peterson called out Ms. Jones for underhanded tactics: 

Again, it was not until the most recent ruling that counsel for Respondent attempted to manufacture a fictitious and unsubstantiated cause that would require recusal, and these actions by Respondent further suspicions of stall tactics, which appear to be efforts to avoid production of discoverable materials and frustrate compliance with prior Orders.

 Indeed, Ms. Jones filed a motion to dismiss, arguing the Bar failed to provide her with a copy of the Bar's investigation report.  Judge Peterson said the Bar served the report on Ms. Jones' attorney, Abby Robinson, as she denied the motion.  

Attorneys Melissa Scott, Kate Littrell, and Jeremy Birdsall represented the Mississippi Bar.  

Ms. Jones filed a notice of appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court on December 15 and requested a stay of the suspension.  Ms. Robinson filed an entry of appearance for her client but the clerk noted the notification was improperly filed.  The entry included complaints against all three Bar attorneys that accused them of prosecutorial misconduct. 

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph denied Ms. Jones' motion for a stay of the suspension.  The appeal will proceed. 

Ms. Jones is a former Hattiesburg Municipal Court Judge.  Then-Mayor Johnny Dupree terminated her as he reorganized his bench after irregularities were alleged. The attorney sued to reclaim her position but lost.  

Kingfish note: There is another interesting feature to this case.  Ms. Robinson is facing her own disciplinary proceedings before a Complaint Tribunal.  The attorney sued the Bar and the three lawyers in federal court recently over the bar complaint.  The complaint included Judge Peterson as a defendant even though Judge Celeste Wilson is presiding over Ms. Robinson's tribunal.  Ms. Robinson refers repeatedly to Ms. Jones' tribulations before the tribunal.  It is almost as if she improperly joined two complaints.  Earlier post.