Opinion ID: 2508088
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: The Naults' claims on cross-appeal

Text: The Naults contend that the district erroneously reduced the $3.25 million judgment by the $400,000 settlement. Because the record reveals insufficient evidence to support the damages element of the Nault's suit, we need not address this issue. Next, without citing any legal authority, the Naults assert that, because of the blatant conflict of interest, this court may take judicial notice that neither the district court nor the family court would have approved the apportionment of the settlement proceeds that provided Jason with 14 percent of the gross proceeds, Louise with 38 percent and appellants with 40 percent. The Naults contend that Mainor and Harris drafted an agreement and obtained Louise's signature thereon, stating that Louise agreed to pay appellants 40 percent of the gross settlement proceeds, irrespective of whether the district court reduced the attorney fees allowed to appellants. In so doing, the Naults argue that Mainor and Harris sought to circumvent any subsequent court order which would reduce their legal fees by implementing an unethical scheme and requiring their client to become an accomplice to that conspiracy. The Naults argue that this conduct prejudiced the administration of justice, thereby violating SCR 203(4). The Naults contend, therefore, that this court should order the appellants to forfeit the entire sum of $1,668,980 that the district court awarded to them for representing Jason's interests. As Mainor and Harris counter, the law abhors a forfeiture. [65] Furthermore, the Naults' complaint did not contain a cause of action seeking forfeiture of fees. The district court rejected the Naults' request for a jury instruction on forfeiture, but the Naults do not appeal the rejection of their instruction. Had they done so, the correct remedy by this court, in any event and assuming for a moment the correctness of the Naults' broader assertion, would have been a reversal and remand for a new trial with correct jury instructions, not a determination that they are entitled to forfeiture as a matter of law. Because the Naults fail to provide any supporting authority for the argument that this court may take judicial notice of the egregiousness of Mainor and Harris's conduct and order forfeiture of their attorney fees, this court need not address the Naults' argument. [66]