Twelve lawyers, including John Goodson, have indicated they will appeal their discipline by federal Judge P.K. Holmes of Fort Smith for their handling of a class action suit against an insurance company. Mark Friedman has the details for Arkansas Business.
Five lawyers, including Goodson, were reprimanded. Seven plaintiffs’ lawyers received lighter admonishment. No final word yet on appeals by defense lawyers given a lesser penalty by the judge for their role in dismissing a lawsuit in his court and quickly settling it in a state court.
The case has drawn wide attention not only for criticism of the terms of the deal — which seemed to provide more financial benefits to the lawyers than the people underpaid for insurance claims — but also because of Goodson’s long and lucrative class action practice and his political standing. He’s a member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, husband of Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson and a contributor, along with other class action plaintiffs’ lawyers, to many races for Arkansas Supreme Court.