Jerome Alexander Dixon

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

The Attorney, Jerome Dixon, was found guilty of professional misconduct for breaching a professional undertaking. He had received the certificate of title to a property for the sole purpose of facilitating a loan from which JMD 2,500,000 was to be paid to the Complainant. Instead, the property was transferred by way of gift and the sale proceeds paid to his client, Ms. Qualis. His application for a rehearing was refused due to unexplained non-attendance at multiple hearings. The Panel found the breach inexcusable and egregious and ordered him struck off, plus restitution of JMD 2,500,000 and costs of JMD 300,000. The Panel found a failure of integrity, probity and trustworthiness but made no express finding of dishonesty.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Significant sum involved (JMD 2,500,000)
• Complainant's repeated attempts to contact the Attorney were ignored
• Willful and deliberate steps to transfer the certificate of title in clear breach of the undertaking
• Repeated failure to attend hearings without good reason

Mitigating factors:

• First finding of professional misconduct / previously unblemished record
• No criminal or quasi-criminal offence arising from the conduct
• Attorney admitted the breach and expressed he had learned his lesson
• Assurance that funds would be paid to the Complainant in December 2018