Jackson Jambalaya

The Mississippi Supreme Court suspended Jackson attorney Jarrod Mumford from the practice of law after he mishandled an estate and his trust account.   

Desoto County Circuit Court Judge and incoming Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Celeste Wilson authored the order for the Mississippi Supreme Court's Bar Complaint Tribunal.   

Jarrod Mumford's troubles began in 2022 when Ronnie Cameron retained the attorney to represent him and his minor son, AKC, in a matter involving a car accident. The insurance company settled the claim for $75,000.  

The Adams County Chancery Court ordered the proceeds to be distributed as follows: $10,000 to settle a lien, $20,000 to the attorney for his fees, and $45,000 to AKC.  The Chancellor ordered Mr. Mumford to deposit AKC's funds into a bank account "not to be released without court order."  Such orders are standard in settlements involving minors but it was order that was not followed.  

Mr. Mumford deposited the settlement into his trust account in 2024.  However, the attorney wrote a check to Mr. Cameron for $20,000 a few weeks later in violation of the court order.  Mr. Mumford claimed "His office confused his fee with the minor's settlement sum and made the check in the wrong amount."  Uh-huh. 

The Court ordered an accounting in September.  The Jackson attorney promptly filed an accounting that "showed that the ward had total assets of $20,000 and that the funds were in a joint account with Chase Bank."  Mr. Mumford did not disclose the location of the bank, account numbers, or other identifying information about the account.   The accounting did not mention what happened to the remaining settlement funds of $25,000. 

The Chancellor appointed a Special Master to investigate.  Mr. Mumford sent a $25,000 check to Ronnie Cameron a few weeks later.  The case got squirrelly: 

10. On February 12, 2025, the Court ordered Mr. Mumford to stop payment on the $25,000.00 check and make the following deposits into the Court's registry: (1) $25,000.00 within 24 hours and (2) $20,000.00 within thirty (30) days in the event that Ronnie Cameron did not deposit that amount within fourteen (14) days of the Order. Mr. Mumford timely deposited $25,000.00 with the Court. However, he did not deposit the remaining settlement funds into tbe Court's registry until November 14, 2025. Evidently, Mr. Cameron was either unwilling, or unable, to return the $20,000.00 promptly and upon Mr. Mumford's request.

The Complaint Tribunal said Mr. Mumford's 2023-25 bank records showed he frequently co-mingled funds and "frequently paid personal and business expenses from the account.   The bank dunned the attorney for insufficient funds six times in 2024.  

This was not Jarrod Mumford's first time to run afoul of the Mississippi Bar as the Bar issued three public reprimands to the attorney in earlier cases. 

The Tribunal suspended Mr. Mumford's law license for two years, effective August 30, on July 28.  He must complete the Mississippi Bar's Trust Account School before he can request reinstatement. The lawyer must notify all clients of his suspension within thirty days.  

Kingfish note: See, Carlos, the Bar did not target you.  It gave you only half of what this guy got.