Antoinette Haughton loses case at Privy Council

The London-based Privy Council has ruled against attorney at law Antoinette Haughton Cardenas in her fight with the Disciplinary Committee of the Jamaican General Legal Council.

Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas has had a long running battle with the Council over its decision to take action against her for her failure to submit accounting reports for 1999 and 2000.

She took the matter to the Court of Appeal, which accepted her argument and ruled that the Council could take no action against her.

The Council appealed to the Privy Council and in a judgment handed down today the law lords said they were satisfied that the Council's general power allows it to make regulations.

According to law lords, the General Legal Council could deem disobedience of its rules as professional misconduct.

The Privy Council also says the Council has the power to act against Mrs. Haughton Cardenas.

The Privy Council has ordered Mrs. Haughton Cardenas to pay the cost of the appeal.