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A Law Firm’s Actions Ends In Murder

What was scheduled to be a settlement conference in a Boca Raton law office concerning a dispute over an estate, ended in murder.

Charles Thomas Ott and his sister Margaret Ott Jones were embroiled in a heated probate dispute arising out of their mother's estate. Unbeknown to Margaret Ott Jones, Charles Ott felt great anger towards his sister. In the fall of 2001Charles Ott and his wife held a meeting with their lawyer, Paul Roman who is with the Law Firm of Hodgson, Russ, LLP. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the estate dispute should be resolved. Suddenly and without warning Charles Ott stood up and proclaimed in an agitated state to Roman, “if you guys can't get this done right, I guess I am going to have to kill her,” (referring to his sister, Margaret). Roman acknowledged Mr. Ott's threat to his sister by stating he was an officer of the court and did not want to hear any more talk like that, at which time Ott left the conference room.

Subsequent to this particular meeting, the Court ordered mediation regarding the estate dispute to be held at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. However, Hodgson, Russ, even with the knowledge that Ott had threatened to kill his sister, requested that the mediation take place at their Boca Raton office. On February 20, 2002 Ott and Mrs. Jones were present at Hodgson Russ for the court ordered mediation. During the mediation Charles Ott, without warning stood up and repeatedly shot his sister five times in her head with a .38 caliber pistol. After killing his sister, Ott fled the building and eventually killed himself.

In an amended suit filed in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida recently, James B. Trube, the son of Margaret Ott Jones has filed suit against the law firm of Hodgson, Russ, LLP. Attorney, Theodore (Ted) J. Leopold, a partner in the law firm of Ricci*Leopold, West Palm Beach, represents Mr. Trube and the estate of his mother. To say that this entire matter could have been avoided is perhaps an understatement. In a meeting with their attorney Charles Ott with great seriousness in his voice and actions threatens to kill his sister. Yet, knowing the threat of his client the lawyer kept this information to himself and his firm and never disclosed it to anyone else when he requested that the mediation be changed from the courthouse to his office. Unlike the courthouse, Hodgson Russ failed to have any type of security, law enforcement or special arrangements to protect Mrs. Jones. As a result Charles Ott carried out his threat and violently killed his sister.

Mr. Trube and we believe that Hodgson, Russ acted negligently when it requested that the mediation be moved, despite the judge's order, to its office. Hodgson Russ new the dangers to Margaret Ott Jones yet still put Mrs. Ott and other individuals' lives in great danger. Charles Ott stated quite clearly to Mr. Roman what he intended to do and sadly the precautions that were instituted to prevent exactly what happened here were breached by a firm that failed to act reasonably. In this case, as in any, Hodgson Russ had a responsibility to warn everyone involved in this matter, including those who witnessed this brutal murder. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. The suit in addition to Hodgson Russ names Carol Ott,(wife) and personal representative of the estate as Charles Thomas Ott as a defendant as well.