Dist. Ct. did not err in dismissing plaintiff-attorney’s action seeking, among other things, to enforce terms of settlement agreement between his former clients and third-party, where plaintiff had purchased from third-party, third-party’s right to collect on said settlement from former clients. Record showed that: (1) prior to instant dismissal order, different Dist. Ct. had entered 2015 order that barred plaintiff from acting as counsel in further efforts to collect on said settlement agreement, based upon New Jersey attorney ethical rule; and (2) plaintiff had failed to appeal 2015 order or seek any reconsideration of same. As such, plaintiff could not disregard now binding 2015 order by filing and prosecuting instant action, even though he believed that substance of 2015 order was legally wrong. Moreover, dismissal was appropriate sanction for plaintiff’s refusal to obey binding court order. Ct. of Appeals also imposed Rule 38 sanctions against plaintiff for filing frivolous appeal.
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Sanctions