Order for two lawyers to turn over documents or be imprisoned put on hold

The Court of Appeal has put on hold an order made against Queen's Counsel Denise Kitson and attorney-at-law Herbert Grant to hand over documents to a liquidator or be committed to prison.

On July 13, Parish Court Judge Alicia McIntosh ordered the two to turn over the files within 14 days. The case was heard in the civil division of the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Attorney-at-law Kevin Williams had said then that Kitson and Grant would appeal the decision. 

“The issue of the enforceability of an attorney's lien for non-payment of bills in such circumstances is of paramount importance to the legal profession and must be determined definitively," Williams said.

Roger Phynn , the liquidator for Mount Royal Cooperative Society at 5 Holborn Road, Kingston 5 had applied for an Attachment Order after the law firm Stewart Phillips & Grant failed to comply with his order to hand over approximately 100 certificates of titles and sales agreements.

Kitson took over as managing partner of the firm after Grant retired in December last year. The law firm handled legal affairs for Mount Royal for many years.

Court of Appeal Judge Evan Brown after hearing an application on July 26 granted an interim order for a 28-day stay of the order made by the parish judge.

A hearing involving both partes is set for August 23 in chambers.

Attorney- at-law Rita Allen-Brown is representing the liquidator.

Kitson was recently elected chairperson of the General Legal Council, the body that regulates the legal profession in Jamaica. She's the first woman to hold the top position.

- Barbara Gayle

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