The court's holding and decision will be displayed here.

This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

Leonard (P) represented Mideast (D) in litigation against the Department of Interior. The Department prevailed. D failed to pay attorney fees to P. P sued to recover those fees. D made no appearance, and a default was entered in August 1985. In June 1986, D filed a malpractice claim against P in state court. D claimed that the Department offered to settle for $100,000, but on P’s advice, D declined that offer and lost. In response to the malpractice claim, P returned to federal court and sought declaratory relief such that the state malpractice claim was a compulsory counterclaim in P’s fee suit and it was now barred in state court.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.