TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 28, 2022

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Nov. 22 suspended McMinn County lawyer Joseph H. Crabtree Jr. from the practice of law for three years, with one year to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. During the first year of probation, the court directed Crabtree to engage a practice monitor at his own expense. It also conditioned reinstatement on Crabtree completing six hours of continuing legal education on ethics and six hours on law office management, paying restitution to two former clients, and reimbursing the Tennessee Lawyers Fund for Client Protection for any payments to complainants. The court took the action after finding that Crabtree’s conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.8 (h), 3.2, 3.4 (c) ,8.1 (b) and 8.4 (a), (c) and (d). The court explains why it rejected the Board of Professional Responsibility's recommendation for discipline as "inadequate" in this opinion.