House Candidate Admits He Failed To Give Clients Their Full Settlements

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/27/2026) Jalal Abdallah, the Dearborn attorney expected to win the 15th House District seat next week, acknowledged today that he failed to pay clients the full amount of their settlements.

Abdallah’s testimony came today during a hearing before the Attorney Discipline Board (ADB) on a complaint alleging he misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients’ settlement money.

Abdallah was asked as he sat on the witness stand if he failed to pay $127,000 to one client, acknowledging the failure.

“If I hadn’t brought it to your attention, would he have been paid?” the Attorney Grievance Commission’s (AGC) counsel asked.

“I can’t predict yes or no,” Abdallah replied, according to a recording published by the Detroit News. “I mean, I would like to think yeah, eventually, we would have paid him. … We failed them. We failed our client.”

Following the hearing, a three-attorney ADB panel will determine what, if any, discipline Abdullah will face.

The AGC investigation began in March 2024 after learning a check for more than $1,900 had been returned for insufficient funds in Abdullah’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account, which is set up for attorneys to deposit clients’ funds.

Abdallah won the Democratic nomination in the Dearborn-based 15th House District with 51% of the vote.

Abdallah faces Republican Hassan Nehme next week in a district with a 61% Democratic base.