Coombs v. Hot Springs Village Property Owners Ass'n

This case involves the ability of a trial judge to regulate proceedings in his courtroom. The appellant’s attorney in the present case consistently failed to meet deadlines. The trial judge was in a position to grant summary judgment against appellant for his attorney’s dilatory conduct. As a matter of grace, the trial judge gave appellant’s attorney a final chance to respond to the summary-judgment motion, provided that certain express conditions were met. Appellant’s attorney agreed to those conditions in open court. He then ignored them, waited until the grace period had expired, and filed…