Sheldon Codner

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

The Attorney Sheldon Codner was retained by the Dunkleys to act in their purchase of land with townhouses for JMD $27,000,000. The Complainants paid him a total of JMD $25,197,000 in trust to remit to the vendor's attorneys (Samuda & Johnson). He paid over only $4,097,000, failed to remit or refund the remaining $21,100,000, and produced a defective cheque deliberately written to prevent payment. The panel found he misappropriated and acted dishonestly with the entrusted funds. He did not respond or attend the hearings. The panel found the complaint proven beyond reasonable doubt, found dishonesty, and ordered him struck off, with restitution of $12,100,000 plus interest, interest on the $9,000,000, and costs.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct described as particularly egregious, inexcusable and unacceptable
• Breached the trust placed in him by clients and severely prejudiced their interests
• Deliberately wrote a defective cheque to prevent payment
• Sent client file to another attorney without consent
• Failed to respond or attend the disciplinary hearings
• Facing criminal charges for fraudulent conversion of the funds

Mitigating factors:

• His friends paid $9,000,000 to the vendor's attorneys on his behalf toward the balance