A Reputation For Excellence.
40 Years of Civil and Criminal Justice.
For over 40 years, Dennis C. Sweet III and his firm have successfully represented clients in criminal and civil matters across the nation. Dennis’ extensive legal knowledge and trial experience have earned his firm a national reputation for excellence. He has represented major corporations, government entities, and individuals in a wide array of legal matters.
Dennis Sweet (center) Named one of the Top Black Attorneys in the United States.
STANDING ON JUSTICE
Historical Wins, Astronomical Results.
Some of the results include: a $145 million products liability verdict against Ford Motor Company in the wrongful death of a man thrown from a Ford Ranger; a $23 million medical malpractice verdict for a couple with a brain-damaged child; a $150 million verdict against American Home Products whose drug, fen-phen, caused health problems for five clients; a $4.5 million wrongful death verdict against Hospice Ministries in the death of a woman who, improperly diagnosed with cancer, died from an overdose of painkillers; a $23 million verdict against the Jackson Marriott Hotel and the City of Jackson for the shooting of an unarmed man by an off-duty Jackson Police officer; a $10.5 million verdict against Hyundai Motor Company for the crashworthiness of its vehicle resulting in the deaths of three people; and a $3 million verdict against Janssen Pharmaceuticals for its drug Topomax which was found to cause birth defects when used by pregnant women.
Milestones & Achievements
July, 1984
Jury award for Darryl Pruitt in case that successfully challenged Alabama’s “fleeing felon” law. Federal appeals court affirmed unconstitutionality of Alabama’s fleeing felon law.
August, 1985
Donald v. United Klans of America: Mother of Michael Donald sued the KKK for lynching of her son in Mobile, Alabama. Case is credited with bankrupting the KKK in the United States.
AUGUST, 1985
Settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination at Gunter Air Force Station and Maxwell Air Force Base. Case helped increase civil service positions and promotions for minorities at both sites.
September, 1985
Acquittal in voter fraud charges of Bobbie Nell Simpson. She along with seven others in the Black Belt of Alabama were charged with voter fraud by then U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions in an effort widely understood to be aimed at suppressing the Black vote.
July, 1988
Representation and acquittal for NAACP President Obie Clark who was indicted in Southern District of Mississippi on embezzlement charges.
December, 1989
Represented Black educator Charles Thomas in the Northern District of Mississippi who was awarded compensation after repeatedly being denied principal positions in Choctaw County schools following school system desegregation.
November, 1991
Successfully sued Hinds County, Mississippi Board of Supervisors to increase African American representation.
March, 1993
Represented Burl Butler in second hand smoke litigation against Phillip Morris et.al. in case that produced documents ultimately leading to national settlement.
April, 1993
Filed suit on behalf of the NAACP to remove the Confederate symbol from Mississippi’s state flag. Mississippi Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the flag had never been officially adopted and had been flown by custom only.
September, 1993
Represented victims of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited train derailment and served on steering committee for all disaster victims.
April, 1994
Represented Black farmers in Pigford v. Glickman alleging USDA discriminated against them on the basis of race in the agency’s administration of loan and benefit programs.
July, 1998
$149 million against Ford Motor Company in rollover death of Dale Robinson.
January, 1999
$4 million verdict in Hunter v. General Motors establishing “second impact” doctrine in automobile products liability cases in Mississippi.
June, 1999
Represented Gaylord Chemical in Bogalusa, LA tank car spill accident and won verdict for Gaylord Chemical.
DECEMBER, 1999
$150 million verdict against American Home Products which produced fen-phen, a drug which caused heart valve damage in some users. Represented five clients in this case which led to subsequent class action settlement.
March, 2000
$29 million verdict against Mid-America Apartments in a premises liability case which caused serious injury to resident.
November, 2000
Member of high-profile trial team to seek reparations for US slave descendants, along with Charles Ogletree, Johnnie Cochran and others.
October, 2001
$23 million verdict against Jackson, HMA in case of hospital negligence resulting in serious injury to a newborn.
September, 2002
Member of trial team securing court-administered settlement for several thousand multi-state plaintiffs against the Warner-Lambert Company over its prescription drug Rezulin.
October, 2002
Acquittal of Rodalton Hart, a Black farmer who won retrial after conviction on loan fraud charges.
February, 2003
Member of trial team representing surviving Tulsa Race Riot victims seeking damages and other compensation for property and economic opportunity lost in the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.
November, 2003
Won settlement against YMCA and others in drowning death of 9-year-old Perrize Washington. Case was broadcast live on CourtTV.
June, 2006
$4.5 million verdict in wrongful death of Ersell Allen who was misdiagnosed with cancer and then overdosed on painkillers in hospice care.
February, 2007
$23 million verdict against city of Jackson and Marriott Hotels in case of Dale Archey, an unarmed man shot by an off-duty police officer.
August, 2007
Member of trial team securing court-administered settlement for several hundred multi-state plaintiffs against pharmaceutical company Merck over its prescription drug Vioxx.
July, 2009
Filed civil rights-era lawsuit in the deaths of two Black men, Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, which was the first case of its kind to clear statute of limitations restrictions.
April, 2010
$19 million verdict against Texaco, Inc. for negligence in handling abandoned storage tanks which resulted in disabilities and illness.
March, 2014
$3 million against the makers of Topamax drug in case of pregnant woman who took the drug and gave birth to a child with severe health conditions.
May, 2019
$1.5 million verdict against city of Jackson in botched 911 call which led to the death of Ruth Helen Harrion.
JUSTICE FOR ALL
From Corporate, to Civil, to Criminal Justice
Dennis and his firm also use their legal skills to defend clients accused in criminal cases. They know that a person accused of a crime has to face significant government resources and needs an attorney who has the experience and confidence to meet that challenge. Dennis and his firm have successfully defended those accused of murder; black farmers accused of defrauding the USDA; elected officials accused of voter fraud; those accused of healthcare fraud, bank fraud and other crimes.
In general practice, Dennis and his firm have won justice for those slandered on social media and judgements for employees both racially and sexually harassed in the workplace. They have also secured compensation for clients suffering personal injuries and death as the result of negligence, traffic and other accidents as well as premises liability. Dennis’ cases and legal work have been featured in a variety of national publications, including: Black Enterprise Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, Jet Magazine, Lawyer’s Weekly USA and The National Law Journal. He has also been seen on Court TV, Dateline NBC, Snapped and the Discovery Channel.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Dennis Sweet III
Dennis is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He earned his degrees from Tougaloo College (B.A.) and George Washington University (J.D.). Dennis was admitted to the D.C. Bar in 1981, the Alabama Bar in 1984, the Mississippi Bar in 1986 and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1985. He is a former staff attorney for the District of Columbia Public Defender’s Office and the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a former member of The Mississippi Board of Bar Commissioners (1990-1993). Dennis served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1992-1996. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of criminal law at Mississippi College School of Law and an Instructor at the National Criminal Defense College.
He was a teaching team member at Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop for several years. The Mississippi Conference of the NAACP gave Sweet its top legal honor in 1996 and the Magnolia Bar Association honored Sweet with the R. Jess Brown Award in 2001. He received Martindale-Hubbell’s Preeminent rating from peers who rank him at the highest level for professional excellence for legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards in 2021. He earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2023. Dennis has been nationally featured in Black Enterprise Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, Lawyer’s Weekly USA and on Court TV, Snapped, Dateline NBC and the Discovery Channel.
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Dennis Sweet IV
Dennis C. Sweet IV continues the legacy of seeking justice for those who need it most. He practices with his father, Dennis C. Sweet III and specializes in the areas of civil litigation, civil rights, personal injury, medical malpractice, premises liability and criminal defense.
Dennis IV earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tougaloo College, a Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Master of Laws in Litigation and Dispute Resolution from George Washington University Law School.
As a practicing attorney, Dennis IV has a broad range of successful representation on behalf of a variety of clients. In the civil arena, he has worked on and tried several cases including one which resulted in a $23 million dollar verdict against the Marriott Hotel Corporation for the shooting of an unarmed man on their property. Dennis is a seasoned civil rights advocate who has successfully litigated dozens of civil rights cases throughout his career. His legal talents extend past the courtroom, as he is also a skilled writer. Notably, Dennis’ Appellate Brief in Lewis v. City of Jackson 153 So.3d(Miss.2014) set a precedent in addressing legal standards for inappropriate police pursuits.
Dennis’ criminal practice is equally commendable, having successfully represented hundreds of clients with charges ranging from white collar crimes to capital murder. Notable among these cases is representation of T’Kia Beverly who was found guilty of capital murder in the death of her stepdaughter, but Sweet and his team worked to overturn that verdict, seek a new venue and eventually win acquittal in the second trial. In personal injury litigation, Dennis has litigated cases ranging from automobile accidents to medical malpractice, securing large rewards on behalf of his clients.
Dennis IV is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Washington D.C. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar, Washington D.C. Bar, Magnolia Bar Association, American Bar Association and the National Bar Association. Dennis received the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, Inc, Top 10 under 40 Attorney Award for the State of Mississippi and is a member of the National Black Lawyer’s Top 100. He is also has been acknowledged as a top-ranked attorney by the American Association of Attorney Advocates.
In addition to practicing law, Dennis mentors and advises young lawyers and law students. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Tougaloo College and a guest lecturer at Brown University.
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