IL for www.theindianalawyer.com
The Indiana Supreme Court privately reprimanded an Evansville attorney Friday after he failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in communicating with clients whose homestead was burned in an act of vandalism that appeared to be racially motivated.
The order approving John Goodridge’s discipline was signed by Chief Justice Loretta Rush Sept. 14, according to the court order.
A complaint filed in Feb. 2018 alleged Goodridge had failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness on behalf of family members who owned the homestead who reached out to him and another attorney for representation concerning the homestead, possible recovery, and the failure of a mortgagor to pay for repairs to the home.
The complaint also says Goodridge had no contact with the clients between Jan. 2015 and May 2016 before he was required to withdraw from the case due to conflicts of interest after a rift between the clients.
The Supreme Court imposed a private reprimand against Goodridge and assessed the costs of the proceedings against him.
