A suit against New Jersey plaintiff firm Hoyt & Hoyt—by a former medical malpractice client claiming the handling of an expert witness was botched—is getting another chance.

Among the points needing clarification in Ressler v. Hoyt is the curious fact that the court approved the $1.5 million settlement in the underlying case on the record, apparently unnecessarily, the Appellate Division said.

“This was not a situation under the Rules of Court or statute calling for judicial approval of settlement terms, such as for settlements with a minor or incapacitated plaintiff … or a class action settlement … or the approval of a transfer of structured settlement rights,” the court said.