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Bronster: Jorgensen has yet to pay some class members of money he owes them
Attorney Margery Bronster has notified the federal court that Betty Johnson’s original counsel, Bruce Jorgensen, has yet to pay some class members who loaned him money.
Bronster told U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood on Friday that some class members in Johnson’s lawsuit had loaned Jorgensen money so he could pay some of the costs when he first started the lawsuit.
In an interview, Bronster said Jorgensen was supposed to pay the class members when he received his settlement money.
Bronster said the CNMI government informed them on Friday that Jorgensen has already been paid.
Bronster said the settlement agreement says that out of the first payment, Jorgensen was supposed to reimburse these people.
“Hopefully it was just an oversight but we would like to make sure that he pays back all of the class members who loaned him money,” Bronster said.
The CNMI government agreed to settle Jorgensen’s fees and costs in the amount of $800,000 in connection with his representation as counsel for Johnson. The court approved the deal.
According to the settlement deal, the CNMI government shall deliver to Jorgensen’s counsel by wire transfer the sum of $250,000 upon the court’s approval of the deal, wire transfer another $250,000 on or before April 4, 2014, and $300,000 on or before Feb. 15, 2015.
Upon receipt of the first installment payment, Jorgensen is authorized to pay attorney Jared Washkowitz $4,250 for his services to the class. He is also authorized to reimburse the donation by class members to him such as $2,100 to Johnson; $600 to Teresa N. Tripp; and the amount of donation by any of the 14 class members who made a donation to David Price “who now wishes to be reimbursed.”
