Dodds, Kidd & Ryan - Little Rock, AR

WARNING: UNACCEPTABLE PROCEDURAL FAILURES AND CASE DISMISSAL. I hired Catherine Ryan for a serious invasion of privacy case. The matter was handled on a contingency basis at the circuit court level, where it was dismissed, and I subsequently paid an additional $10,000 flat fee for the appeal. The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed the complete dismissal of my case (Case No. CV-24-749) due to basic filing negligence.According to the arguments cited in the appellate ruling, 'Alexander failed to attach to his complaint the documentary evidence showing that the appellee had publicly disclosed private facts.' Furthermore, in the Appellant’s Petition for Rehearing filed by my own counsel, it is admitted word-for-word that 'the exhibit of medical records that was submitted as part of the divorce proceedings was not attached to Alexander’s Complaint.' Missing the absolute core evidence entirely defeated my lawsuit before it even started. When I demanded my complete client files, email correspondence, and mandatory financial ledgers after this final dismissal, the firm became aggressively defensive, combative, and actively delayed the electronic file transfer. Word-for-word response from Catherine Ryan: 'Hi Alexander, First, the $10,000 you paid is a flat fee for the appeal. The rule you are citing refers to refundable retainer payments, or other payments that are “client funds,” which a flat fee payment is not. A copy of your contract is attached. When a case is billed hourly, which yours was not, we send out invoices. I do not believe that we keep copies of invoices that are sent out, but of course we keep financial records. In your case, those records show payment of the flat fee and then expenses relating to filing fees along with the payments you made for those fees pursuant to the contract, which I am happy to provide. Additionally, you are not correct in stating that you are entitled to attorney work product or internal notes. Please refer to Arkansas Rule of Professional Conduct 1.19, and the Amendment to that Rule Delivered on November 21, 2019. As I stated previously, your electronic file will be available next week. -Catherine Charging $10,000 to appeal a case that was already doomed by your own failure to attach the primary evidence is unconscionable. DO NOT HIRE THIS FIRM if you require diligent procedural filing, basic competence, or transparent client communication. Protect your money and your legal rights elsewhere.