Barnett v. Happy Cab Co.
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The Supreme Judicial Court vacated the order of the district court requiring Jeremy Barnett to repay funds he received in a personal injury lawsuit and the order dismissing Barnett's case for failing to do so, holding that the district court lacked the authority to require Barnett to repay the funds.
Barnett was injured while getting into a taxicab and filed a personal injury lawsuit against the taxicab's driver and the corporations that purportedly employed the driver. Before trial, the driver and corporations filed an offer to confess judgment. Barnett filed an acceptance. Later, the court of appeals vacated a district court order entering judgment based on the offer to confess judgment. The district court later required Barnett to repay funds he received from one of the corporations and its liability insurer while the prior appeal was pending. When Barnett did not repay those funds, the district court dismissed his lawsuit as a sanction. The Supreme Court vacated the judgment, holding that the district court did not have the authority to order Barnett to repay the funds.
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