Georgette May Scott

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Georgette Scott was retained to sell the complainant's apartment for J$2.2 million. After the sale she paid him with a cheque for $2,105,272.41 that was dishonoured and never made good; $750,000 (balance plus interest) remained outstanding. The Disciplinary Committee found she had used the proceeds for her own/others' benefit and expressly found she acted dishonestly, rejecting both the 'loan' explanation and her claim of mental illness. She was found guilty of professional misconduct, breaching Canons VII(b)(ii) and I(b), and was struck off, ordered to make restitution of $750,000 with 12% interest and pay $50,000 costs. The Court of Appeal rejected grounds of procedural irregularity (refusal to allow withdrawal of complaint), bias of panel members, failure to consider medical evidence, and excessive sanction, dismissing the appeal and affirming the orders with costs to the respondent.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No improper use of client money
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Misappropriated proceeds of sale entrusted to her, using them for her own or others' benefit
• Misappropriation occurred after the complainant had paid her costs of $95,000 in advance
• Admitted having similar problems with funds belonging to other clients
• Failed to make good a dishonoured cheque despite promises
• Remained outstanding to the complainant in the sum of $750,000

Mitigating factors:

• Claimed history of paternal abuse and financial debts caused by her father
• Asserted she suffered a mental breakdown/reactive depression (rejected by the Committee as not credible at the relevant time)
• Made some partial repayment and entered payment arrangements