Posted August 02, 2019 12:07:32A domestic violence attorney who represented a woman who sued her ex-husband after he allegedly battered her in a hotel room has received a $1 million settlement for his legal fees.
Jillian B. Johnson sued her husband, Robert M. Johnson, in July 2016 after she said he physically assaulted her in the early morning hours of June 27, 2018.
The couple had been married for three years.
In a lawsuit, Johnson said her husband beat her, choked her, pushed her to the floor and slapped her.
She said she lost consciousness and was later left with “significant facial and vaginal injuries.”
Johnson alleged that Johnson was then punched in the head, kicked in the stomach and hit with a wooden board.
Johnson filed for divorce in December, claiming she was unable to maintain a relationship with her ex because of the abuse she endured.
The Johnson family and Johnson’s attorney, Michael Breen, said in a statement they were pleased Johnson had received the settlement.
“We look forward to continuing to pursue this case and to securing additional compensation for Ms. Johnson,” they said.
The statement said Johnson’s lawyer also had asked for $2.8 million in punitive damages and $1 billion in attorney fees.
Johnson’s husband is not named in the settlement but is expected to be named in court records as well.
“Jillian Johnson’s case demonstrates that domestic violence does not have to be a last resort,” Breen said.
“It does not always end in divorce.”
Johnson said she was not expecting to receive the settlement in the courtroom, but that her attorney told her that the amount was the “best she could get.”
Johnson has filed for a restraining order against Johnson, who also filed for protection orders against him.