Oliver v. Towns

In this legal-malpractice action concerning the misuse of a $12,000 settlement, the trial court entered a default judgment against attorney Beatrice E. Oliver and in favor of her former client Patricia Towns. The trial court awarded Towns $500,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages. The trial judge denied Oliver's subsequent motion that the judge recuse himself from the case and denied Oliver's motion for a thorough review of the damages award for excessiveness. We hold that the trial court correctly entered the default judgment and correctly denied Oliver's motion…