A New Zealand tribunal has suspended a lawyer for carrying out an "orchestrated campaign" to destroy her ex-husband's career as a headmaster.
Lawyer Jeanne Denham became involved in a property spat after she split up from her husband Peter Clague. When the dispute got serious, Denham decided to bring a private prosecution against Clague for an assault that she claimed had taken place during their marriage, several years previously.
When the assault case was heard in court in 2015, the presiding judge said Denham's claim was an "abuse of process" and had been brought in "bad faith". The judge lambasted Denham, saying that the allegations were "maliciously exaggerated in order to destroy the defendant's reputation" and inflict damage on his school. Denham had also bad-mouthed her ex-husband in blog posts online, and the judge noted that the "various media campaigns" were an "extraordinary aggravating feature" of the case. The judge added that Denham's motivation was to "obtain the advantage" in the property dispute.
Denham was hauled before the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal earlier this year, where she was found guilty of misconduct. The tribunal said that Denham lacked "credibility" under cross-examination, and that her targeting of the school was "disingenuous and unimpressive".
The tribunal panel has now decided to suspend Denham from practising law for three years.
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Lawyer Jeanne Denham became involved in a property spat after she split up from her husband Peter Clague. When the dispute got serious, Denham decided to bring a private prosecution against Clague for an assault that she claimed had taken place during their marriage, several years previously.
When the assault case was heard in court in 2015, the presiding judge said Denham's claim was an "abuse of process" and had been brought in "bad faith". The judge lambasted Denham, saying that the allegations were "maliciously exaggerated in order to destroy the defendant's reputation" and inflict damage on his school. Denham had also bad-mouthed her ex-husband in blog posts online, and the judge noted that the "various media campaigns" were an "extraordinary aggravating feature" of the case. The judge added that Denham's motivation was to "obtain the advantage" in the property dispute.
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A bunny spots Denham boiling some water |
Denham was hauled before the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal earlier this year, where she was found guilty of misconduct. The tribunal said that Denham lacked "credibility" under cross-examination, and that her targeting of the school was "disingenuous and unimpressive".
The tribunal panel has now decided to suspend Denham from practising law for three years.