Galveston inmate's suit against attorney dismissed for want of prosecution

GALVESTON - A Galveston county court judge issued a want of prosecution dismissal order in a Galveston County Jail inmate's lawsuit against a local defense attorney.

Galveston County Court at Law No. 1 Judge John Grady signed the one-page order on July 18, ending the litigation between plaintiff Wayne Wright and defendant Jyll Reckoff.

According to the document, no one appeared at a status conference scheduled for last May 26.

Wright sued Reckoff, a Galveston attorney, in an effort to recover more than $4,000.

The original petition filed last Oct. 4 claims Reckoff committed a breach of contract when she "kept (Wright) in the dark" about his defense in a pending Galveston County criminal case.

In March 2009, the plaintiff paid the defendant a $3,500 retaining fee and an additional $3,500 for a jury trial, the suit says.

Wright asserts that the limited visits he had with Reckoff over an 18-month period "were fruitless and had no legal means whatsoever," adding he subsequently sought additional assistance from an outside organization.

Court papers say Reckoff quit the case as an act of retaliation and failed to return the jury trial fee to the complainant, who was prompted to represent himself.

Reckoff did not provide an original answer though her motion to withdraw in the criminal case cites a conflict of interest between her and Wright.

Cause No. 63,818