TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Nov 15, 2022

Anderson County attorney Joe Richard Judkins was today censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Following a disagreement with a client, Judkins refused to immediately transfer the client file to his client’s new counsel and asserted a valid attorney’s lien in the litigation and over the file materials Additionally, Judkins failed to adequately communicate with his client about the terms of the fees to be paid, failed to provide updates as to the accrual of fees at regular intervals during the representation and did not notify his client as to the amount of fees owed until after his representation was terminated. Finally, in an effort to defend his valid attorney’s lien for fees, Judkins received permission from the court to intervene in the litigation, but attempted to participate in the litigation beyond the extent the court deemed necessary.