TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

2,289 Posts found
Previous • Page 148 of 229 • Next

Sullivan County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 20, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
On Oct. 17, Sullivan County attorney Ricky A. W. Curtis received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. In April 2016, Curtis filed a notice of appeal for a client seeking to appeal a criminal sentence, but did not file a brief in the matter. The court entered an order giving Curtis 20 days to file the brief. He received this order, but did not file a brief. On Feb. 23, the court found that Curtis willfully failed to follow court rules and orders and was in contempt of court.

Shelby County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 18, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
Shelby County lawyer Archie Sanders III on Tuesday received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. In July 2010, Sanders was hired to represent his client in a labor dispute against his former employer, but Sanders didn’t file a lawsuit until June 2013. Court records reveal that Sanders failed to respond to discovery requests for two years, and during that time took no action to move the case forward, thereby allowing his client’s case to needlessly languish.  

Williamson County Lawyer Reinstated

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 16, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Friday reinstated S. Brad Dozier to the practice of law. He had been suspended June 20 for a period of two years, with 30 days active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to conditions. Dozier filed a petition for reinstatement pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 30.4(c), which the board found satisfactory. Dozier will remain on probation until June 20, 2019, during which time he must engage a practice monitor and incur no new complaints.

Putnam County Lawyer Disbarred

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 16, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
The Supreme Court on Friday entered an order disbarring Putnam County lawyer John Philip Parsons, retroactive to Jan. 21, 2016.  Parsons is required to pay the cost of the disciplinary proceeding and restitution. Parsons misappropriated client funds from his trust account, created and filed fraudulent documents with the Appellate Court Clerk, misled his clients regarding the status of their case on appeal, failed to file a notice of appeal and failed to file pleadings and timely respond to discovery.

Shelby County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 16, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
Shelby County lawyer Paul Forrest Craig on Thursday received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Craig represented a client in a probate matter, and was not retained to represent the client on appeal.  Nevertheless, Craig received and signed for notices from the Court of Appeals, and failed to comply with a court order from Nov. 30, 2016, requiring him to provide information about his representation and failed to comply with a show cause order from January of this year.     

Hamilton County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 13, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
Hamilton County attorney John R. Meldorf yesterday received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Meldorf represented a wife who was awarded attorney fees from her husband in the final decree of divorce. At the conclusion of the divorce, the wife owed Meldorf a small balance for his fees. The ex-husband subsequently filed bankruptcy and listed Meldorf as creditor instead of his ex-wife. Meldorf collected funds as a creditor from the bankruptcy trustee even though such funds were properly owed to his former client. He failed to promptly notify his former client upon receipt of such funds and paid himself fees owed by the former client without her knowledge or consent.

Hamilton County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 13, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
Hamilton County attorney James Dimmett Purple received a public censure yesterday from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Purple failed to diligently represent or adequately communicate with a client who had retained him in a quiet title action. He filed the quiet title action without naming essential parties and failed to amend the petition at the request of his client unless additional fees and costs were paid to him. He also filed pleadings that named parties in the style of the case when such parties were never included in the petition.

Mississippi Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 13, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions

Carter C. Hitt, an attorney licensed to practice law in Mississippi, yesterday received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Hitt, who is not licensed to practice in Tennessee, collected a fee from a client for representation in a breach of contract and personal injury action which arose in Tennessee. Hitt failed to limit the scope of his representation to only non-litigation matters, failed to diligently represent his client, and did not adequately communicate with his client. Hitt also drafted and filed a pleading in a Tennessee court which was purported to have been filed pro se by his client. Hitt’s actions were deceptive to the court and constituted the unauthorized practice of law.

Alabama Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 13, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
Brandy Murphy Lee, an attorney licensed to practice law in Alabama, yesterday received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Lee committed several violations of the Tennessee pro hac vice rules during her representation of a client to include: practicing before certain tribunals without permission or approval, filing pleadings without the signature of her local counsel, and practicing for a period in excess of two years after her pro hac vice status had expired.

Davidson County Attorney Suspended

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Oct 12, 2017
News Type: BPR Actions
The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Jason Wade Barnette from the practice of law today. The suspension term is three years, with one year served. Barnette must pay restitution to five former clients. Complaints alleged that after paying Barnette for representation, he missed court dates resulting in default judgments and was non-responsive to requests for information. In one case, Barnette failed to timely remit proceeds of a settlement, and in another, he agreed to dismiss a case he filed on behalf of a client without consulting her. 
Previous • Page 148 of 229 • Next

Law-Related Blogs AND PODCASTS

Check out other law-related blogs and podcasts generated from the Tennessee legal community or of interest to the Tennessee lawyers.