Beaumont attorney Clay Dugas has been ordered to fund a settlement he agreed to earlier this year.
As previously reported, Benjamin Cain Terry filed a suit Feb. 1 in Jefferson County District Court against Dugas, claiming he lost 25 percent in referral fees after referring a family member to the trial lawyer.
Court records show that Dugas countersued Terry on March 9, alleging that Terry had actually been overpaid by $3,000.
A month later, the parties reached a settlement.
However, court records show on June 15 Terry filed a motion to enforce settlement, arguing that Dugas has refused to fund the settlement agreement.
On July 13 Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th District Court, granted the motion, ordering Dugas to fund the settlement within seven days from the date of his order.
According to the complaint, Terry referred a family member to Dugas to handle a medical malpractice claim. As part of the referral, Dugas agreed to pay Terry a 25 percent referral fee.
Subsequently, a portion of the defendants settled the claim, and Terry received the referral fee. The remainder of the claims were settled in April, but Terry received no referral fees from the April settlement, the suit states.
John Werner of Reaud, Morgan and Quinn in Beaumont represents Terry.
Dugas represents himself.
Case No. B189-295