S-24-0201 Christian L. Gilbert (Plaintiff) v. Christopher M. Johnson, and Cordell & Cordell, P.C., A Missouri corporation (Defendants)
Certified question from the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Judge John M. Gerrard
Attorneys: Matt Catlett (Law Office of Matt Catlett for Plaintiff) and A. Victor Rawl, Jr. (Gordon & Rees, LLP for Defendant)
Civil: Certified question
Proceedings: After Plaintiff lost custody of his child in the district court, Plaintiff filed a legal malpractice lawsuit against Defendant in federal court. Plaintiff alleges that but for Defendant’s legal malpractice, he would not have lost custody of his child, which is a noneconomic injury, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska certified the following question to the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Certified question before the Court: On March 15, 2024, Judge Gerrard from the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska certified the following question, “In what circumstances, if any, may a client recover noneconomic damages in a legal malpractice action arising from a child custody dispute?”