Disbarred attorney Don Foote taken to GLC by judge

Disbarred attorney-at-law Don Foote is now facing a disciplinary hearing following a complaint that a judge has made to the General Legal Council (GLC) about his behaviour in court in 2018.

The GLC's disciplinary committee has set the next hearing dates for July 2 and July 31.

Icolin Reid had complained that Foote's behaviour in the Westmoreland Parish Court in February 2018 was not proper.

She's now a Supreme Court judge. 

But Foote is contending that such a complaint should never have been made to the GLC because it was the same complaint that was stayed by Senior Puisne Judge Carol Lawrence Beswick in April 2018. 

Foote is planning to attend today's sitting of the House of Representatives to press his call for reforms in the justice system.

He claims that he has been a victim of the system that he says needs to be replaced with a "godly system of justice". 

Foote said out of frustration he even wrote a few weeks ago to Prime Minister Andrew Holness on the issue.

Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte is expected to make her contribution to the Sectoral Debate today. 

Foote was cited for contempt of court in the Westmoreland Parish Court arising from an alleged heated argument he had with another lawyer in court in February 2018.

He was ordered to return to court on March 1, 2018, but was absent that day as he was attending the swearing-in for Chief Justice Bryan Sykes at King's House in St Andrew.

Foote said he had sent his secretary to inform the judge of the reason for his absence.

He said when he next turned up in court the judge told him that his secretary had told her in open court the reason for his absence.

Foote said in court documents that when he tried to give the judge further explanation for his absence, she said he had no right to be absent and told him to stop speaking so loud over her voice.

The judge advised him that he was now speaking as an accused and ordered the police to take him downstairs to the court's office and give him bail in his own surety for $100,000. 

Foote then filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the judge and the Attorney General as defendants.

He is contending that the arrest warrant issued on March 5, 2018, was improper and cannot be justified in law.

Justice Lawrence Beswick granted an order on April 23, 2018, staying the proceedings in the Westmoreland Parish Court so that the defendants could attend an inter-parties hearing.

Foote says he could get no bailiff to serve the judge.

The Attorney General's Chambers was served but he said a government official later attended court and said the AG did not represent the judge.

The Supreme Court Judge then suggested that Foote should serve the judge.

Foote said the case is still pending in the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal has upheld Foote's disbarment for professional misconduct, but he is taking the case to the United Kingdom-based Privy Council.

The GLC found that Foote underreported by $7 million, a $23 million settlement to a client.

He has denied the accusations. 

- Barbara Gayle

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