Richard D. Bonner

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

The Attorney was retained in 2009 by the Complainant's parents to administer the estate of Ida Brooks and obtain a splinter title for land in St. Elizabeth. He took $130,000 in fees but, ten years later, had not obtained the grant of administration or splinter title, and retained the original documents without returning them. The Committee found him guilty of professional misconduct under Canon VIII(d) for breaching Canons IV(r) and (s). No express finding of dishonesty was made (the case concerned negligence/neglect, not deceit). He was ordered to deliver the documents, reimburse the $130,000 fees, pay a $200,000 fine, and pay $100,000 costs.

Duties found breached:

• Overriding duty to the court
• No conflict between current clients
• Report serious misconduct of others

Aggravating factors:

• Ten years elapsed without obtaining grant of administration or splinter title
• Both clients (Complainant's parents) died without obtaining registered title
• Failure to return original documents to the Complainant
• Attorney unaware of status of his own file