Author Archives: Kimber Riley

Foster Named Vice-Chair of Newsletters for the ABA TIPS Committee

Posted on by

Katelyn Foster has been named the Vice Chair of Newsletters for the American Bar Association TIPS Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Committee.

The Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Committee is a group of the nation’s top lawyers who regularly practice in the fields of workers’ compensation and employer’s liability law. Their mission is to facilitate the sharing of workers’ compensation knowledge and information across the United States through the highest-quality educational programs, publications, and communications amongst our members. Katelyn will be part of a very diverse group of individuals from a wide range of practice settings.

Wise Carter is proud of her recognition from the ABA TIPS Committees and look forward to watching her grow with them.

Wise Carter Attorneys Ranks in Chambers USA 2023

Posted on by

Wise Carter is proud to share that some of our attorneys were ranked in the Chambers and Partners 2023 USA Edition. Chambers and Partners take extensive measures to research attorneys through reputation and client feedback. We are pleased to be recognized again in the Chambers and Partners Guide.

The Wise Carter attorneys ranked in the 2023 Chambers Guide were Doug E. Levanway, Michael B. Wallace, and George H. Ritter. The firm also held its ranking in Litigation for General Commercial.

2023 Chambers and Partners USA

Attorney Rankings

  • Doug E. Levanway
    • Energy and Natural Resources
  • Michael B. Wallace
    • Litigation: Appellate
  • George Ritter
    • Litigation: General Commercial

Firm Department Rankings

  • Litigation: General Commercial

Wise Carter is a Mississippi leading law firm with a legacy of providing legal expertise for over a century. Wise Carter has offices located in Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Gulfport, Mississippi. For more information on the firm, please visit www.wisecarter.com.

Wise Carter Attorneys Prevail in an Appeal for Mississippi Hospital

Posted on by

Wise Carter attorneys Charles Cowan and John Sneed prevailed in an appeal before the Mississippi Supreme Court in an en banc decision the Supreme Court handed down on April 13, 2023. 

Charles and John represented Sharkey Issaquena Community Hospital along with Sharkey and Issaquena Counties in a lawsuit brought by a commercial lessee against the hospital and the counties over a commercial transaction involving the sale of the leased property. Charles and John successfully obtained dismissal of the claims against their clients in Sharkey County Chancery Court and that decision was affirmed by the Mississippi Court of Appeals on June 7, 2022. The Mississippi Supreme Court subsequently granted the opposing party’s petition for writ of certiorari and rendered an en banc decision that reversed the Court of Appeals’ decision in part but affirmed dismissal of the opposing party’s claims against Wise Carter’s clients. Charles and John are ecstatic to have received a favorable result for these clients who have experienced so much loss since a tornado ravaged their communities the night of March 24, 2023.  

Wise Carter values its healthcare clients and the work it performs for them on appeals in state and federal courts.

Wise Carter Announces Mallory M. Street as Shareholder

Posted on by

Wise Carter is proud to announce Mallory M. Street as the firm’s newest shareholder as of March 1, 2023.

Mallory joined Wise Carter as an associate in 2018. She received her law degree from Mississippi College School of Law, and her undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University. She focuses her litigation practice on general insurance defense, including personal injury, premises liability, and medical malpractice defense. Mallory currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and as the firm’s Recruiting Chair.

Wise Carter congratulates Mallory on this achievement and her success at Wise Carter.

Wise Carter Sponsors 2023 BLSA Annual Banquet

Posted on by

Gingi Gautier, Elizabeth Hooper, Suzy Turner, Katie Pearson, Mallory Street, and incoming associate, Meagan Guyse, attended the Constance Slaughter-Harvey Chapter of the Black Law Students Association Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet at the University of Mississippi on April 1, 2023.  Wise Carter Child & Caraway, PA was proud to be a gold sponsor of the event and looks forward to continuing to support the endeavors of this organization at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Wallace Represents Republicans in the Mississippi Redistricting

Posted on by

Michael B. Wallace of our Jackson office represented the Republican Party with a favorable outcome for his client regarding the Mississippi Congressional Redistricting Plan.

Based on federal and state law, the Legislature is required to redraw Congressional districts every 10 years to match population shifts. For the first time since the 1990s, the federal courts did not draw Mississippi’s Congressional districts. The Mississippi Legislature adopted a new plan of Congressional districts to be used for elections based on the 2020 census in January 2022.

The new redistricting plan in 2022 was challenged by the Democratic Party and others.  The Republican Party and individual state officers defended the plan. 

The argument was held in front of a three-judge federal panel, composed of Circuit Judge Grady Jolly, Judge David Bramlette, and Judge Henry Wingate.  The Court rejected the challenge and dismissed the complaint.  A contrary ruling might well have delayed elections for a significant period of time.  The imposition of new districts might well have changed the result of those elections.  The dismissal of the action permitted the elections to be conducted as the Legislature had directed. 

The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court but then was dismissed on February 21, 2023, leaving the District Court’s judgment in place. 

DOM REVERSES $47M IN HOSPITAL DSH RECOUPMENTS

Posted on by

            Wise Carter attorneys George Ritter, Collier Graham, and Becky Hawkins, with strategic assistance from Mike Wallace, achieved a significant victory for Mississippi hospitals, resulting in the Division of Medicaid (DOM) withdrawing approximately $47 million in recoupments of disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments.  DSH payments, generally, are supplemental Medicaid payments to hospitals that provide a disproportionate share of uninsured care. The initial recoupments imposed by DOM were for fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014 and totaled $23,267,790 against 14 Mississippi hospitals represented by Wise Carter.  Wise Carter challenged the recoupments arguing that DOM’s auditors had applied the incorrect methodology for calculating the hospitals’ DSH cap, known as the hospital specific DSH limit.  Later, DOM announced recoupments for FY 2017 totaling $26,628,618 against 15 hospitals.  Wise Carter challenged these recoupments on the same grounds. On December 29, 2022, after protracted administrative and federal proceedings, DOM announced that it would apply the methodology advocated by the hospitals.  The end result was that virtually all of the $47 million in recoupments were withdrawn.

            For over 50 years, Wise Carter has served Mississippi hospitals through good times and bad.  From contracting and certificates of need to malpractice defense and reimbursement litigation, and all other areas of healthcare law, our healthcare attorneys provide a full array of legal services for hospitals, physicians, clinics, and other care facilities.  Wise Carter is proud to serve as counsel for the Mississippi Hospital Association and its affiliated organizations.  For more information, visit www.wisecarter.com.

Mallory Street Joins MDLA Board of Directors

Posted on by

Wise Carter proudly recognizes Mallory Street for her selection and commitment to join the 2023 Board of Directors for the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA).

Mallory Street, an Associate to Wise Carter’s Jackson Office, was inducted to the 2023 MDLA Board at the 2023 MDLA Annual Membership Meeting on January 27, 2023. Mallory’s litigation practice focuses on general insurance defense, including personal injury, premises liability, and medical malpractice defense.

Founded in 1965, the MDLA is comprised of over 400 members who practice primarily in the defense of civil litigation claims in Mississippi’s state and federal courts. The MDLA seeks to enhance the practice of its membership through Continuing Legal Education and skills training seminars, as well as through networking and service opportunities. Wise Carter is excited to see the impact Mallory will make as she serves on the MDLA Board of Directors.

Wise Carter Granted Summary Judgment in Challenging Medical Malpractice Case

Posted on by

Wise Carter attorneys continue to deliver successful results for medical provider clients who find themselves in litigation.  The team of Ashley Gunn and Mark Hodges recently teamed up in the defense of a challenging medical malpractice case that arose from treatment at a Mississippi gulf coast hospital. 

In an opinion and order released by Judge Lisa Dodson on January 5th, the court granted summary judgment for the three firm clients who were sued for care provided in the hospital’s  emergency department. The case, which involved permanent neurological injuries and several hundred thousand dollars in medical expenses and future care costs, was set to be tried on January 23rd in Harrison County Circuit Court. Although the Plaintiffs designated multiple expert witnesses, Judge Dodson agreed with the defendants that the designations were inadequate to avoid summary judgment. Ashley argued the motions at a hearing on December 9. 

Wise Carter is pleased to recognize Ashley Gunn and Mark Hodges for this excellent outcome in favor of Wise Carter clients.

Amtrak Returns to Mississippi Gulf Coast

Posted on by

As a Mississippi-proud firm, Wise Carter celebrates the economic wins for the state of Mississippi, including the 2022 announcement of Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, returning to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Amtrak stopped running along the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since Katrina, the Mississippi Gulf Coast region has worked hard to build back the local cities to create attractive tourist locations. The proposed route is two daily trains running with stops to Bay St. Louis, Pascagoula, Gulfport, and Biloxi. Service expects to begin in the early part of 2023.

Wise Carter’s second largest office is in Gulfport, overlooking the Port of Gulfport and Gulfport Station. Wise Carter has been providing top legal services to Amtrak for half a century, and they are excited to see the impact of how their clients can improve the state.