Arlean D. Moreta Beckford

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

The Respondent attorney was engaged to handle a land purchase and a motor vehicle accident claim. Over eleven years she failed to carry out the business, made her whereabouts unknown, and failed to account to the complainant for $250,000 (balance of purchase price) and $1,250,000 (general damages award collected from the insurer). The Panel found she acted with inexcusable and deplorable negligence and inferred she misappropriated the moneys, betraying the client's trust and discrediting the profession. She was absent from the sanction hearing and showed no remorse. The Panel ordered her struck off the Roll, fined $1.5m payable to the complainant, and ordered $400,000 costs (split between complainant and the GLC).

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• Fair, reasonable and lawful fees
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money

Aggravating factors:

• Complete failure to carry out the business over eleven years
• Misappropriation of all proceeds of the damages award and the balance of purchase price
• Avoided client and made whereabouts unknown
• No remorse shown or demonstrated
• Cavalier attitude to complainant, the Disciplinary Committee and the process
• Absent from the sanction hearing despite proper service

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_fine_amount=1500000", "unverified_costs_amount=400000"]