Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Hill

Filing 133

ORDER finding Candace Williamson in civil contempt; immediately suspending Williamson from practicing in the Northern District of Mississippi; and directing Williamson to show cause. Signed by District Judge Debra M. Brown on 1/17/2020. (jwr)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
GREENVILLE DIVISION
MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY

PLAINTIFF

V.

NO. 4:15-CV-166-DMB-JMV

CANDACE L. WILLIAMSON and
SAMMY J. ELLIS, as co-executors of the
Estate of Purvis William Hill, Jr.

DEFENDANTS

CONSOLIDATED WITH
CANDACE L. WILLIAMSON and
SAMMY J. ELLIS, as co-executors of the
Estate of Purvis William Hill, Jr.
V.

PLAINTIFFS

NO. 4:15-CV-184-DMB-JMV

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY and JOHN
DOES 1–3

DEFENDANTS

ORDER
On December 26, 2019, this Court found Candace Williamson to be in contempt of Court
for failure to pay to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company a $3,000 sanction ordered by
United States Magistrate Judge Jane M. Virden. Doc. #130. The order directed Williamson to
pay the $3,000 in fees within twenty-four hours and provided that “failure to comply with this
order will result in sanctions in the amount of $100 per day, payable to the Clerk of the Court of
the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.” Id. at 8.
Two weeks later, on January 10, 2020, this Court, making a specific finding that
Williamson had engaged in contumacious bad faith conduct, directed Williamson to pay to Mass
Mutual both the $3,000 and an additional $17,613.50. Doc. #132. The order further provided

“[s]hould Williamson fail to pay either sanction by the deadline in this order, a judgment in the
outstanding amount will issue, and Williamson will be suspended from practicing in this judicial
district and subject to potential civil confinement.” Id. at 3. Williamson did not pay the fee as
directed. Accordingly:
1. The Court finds Williamson to be in civil contempt for her violation of the January 10
order.
2. For her bad faith and contumacious conduct of repeatedly refusing to pay court-ordered
sanctions and otherwise refusing to comply with orders of the Court, Williamson is
SUSPENDED immediately from practicing in the Northern District of Mississippi for
a period of one (1) year. See In re Booker, 624 F. App’x 319, 320 (5th Cir. 2015)
(affirming suspension of attorney for three years where attorney failed to disclose
disciplinary proceedings and sought “to withdraw from … representation of and collect
an unreasonable and unconscionable fee from his clients”).
3. As a coercive sanction arising from her contempt of Court, Williamson’s suspension
shall not terminate at the conclusion of the one-year period unless Williamson submits
proof that she has paid the $20,613.50 in fees to Mass Mutual and has paid to the Court
all amounts due from the $100 per day sanction imposed by the December 26 order.
4. Williamson is DIRECTED to show cause on or before 3:00 p.m. on January 21, 2020,
why she not be confined for civil contempt. Williamson is cautioned that failure to
respond as directed will result in the issuance of an arrest warrant.
SO ORDERED, this 17th day of January, 2020.
/s/Debra M. Brown
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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