Local Hattiesburg Attorney Corey Ferraez was taken into custody for civil contempt today after an on-the-record-hearing in Forrest County before Judge Sheila Smallwood.

Ferraez was held in Civil Contempt for being found to have knowingly and willfully violated a valid Chancery Court Order requiring that he tender settlement proceeds from a wrongful death/estate matter unto the registry of the Court.

The widow of the estate, Ms. Weatherford, was present and testified at the hearing as was Mr. Ferraez. Hat tip to the Hattiesburg Patriot which Facebook Live – streamed the entire hearing. Mr. Ferraez sought to exclude the media at the outset of the Hearing and the Court denied this ore tenus motion.

Mr. Ferraez argued before the Court that he had substantially complied with the Court’s Order when he recently tendered some $215,000.00 of $450,000.00 ordered. Ferraez argued that he was entitled to a recovery of attorney’s fees and there were liens and pre-settlement payments to Ms. Weatheford, that when totaled up justified his figures. He also alleged to be having personal issues related to depression and substance abuse.

The Court reminded Mr. Ferraez that the Court, and Weatherford, had been seeking to get this matter resolved since Fall of 2024, that Ferraez was non responsive to the Court, missed Court appearances and never tendered all of the sums ordered. The Court was not unsympathetic, however the Court expects and requires that it’s Orders be complied with and followed.

Mr. Ferraez was taken into custody by the Perry County Sheriff, as the case was originally filed in Perry County.

One of the most interesting issues in this case is that Mr. Ferraez has the keys to the jail cell he is in. All he has to do is comply with the Court’s Order to be released from civil contempt. The Court Ordered that he is to be incarcerated until he pays the outstanding $195,000.00 +/- unto the registry of the Court.

Matthew Thompson is a family law/civil law attorney in Mississippi and shines the light on unethical and illegal conduct when it needs to be; whether it’s a Judge, a party or a lawyer.