Shelby County lawyer Darryl Wayne Humphrey was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Oct. 3 for failing to comply with conditions imposed on him as part of a suspension on Sept. 25, 2017. His actions were determined to violate Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(d) and 8.4(g).

Davidson County lawyer Charles Martin Duke was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Oct. 6. The court found that while representing a client in connection with an ancillary probate matter, Duke failed to pursue the client’s legal objectives, and did not maintain good communication with his client. The court also found that he failed to notify his client that he was suspended from the practice of law on May 9, 2022. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 3.4(c) and 8.4(g).

Montgomery County lawyer Robert Louis Booker was permanently disbarred from the practice of law today. The court found that Booker, in representing a client in a contested divorce, charged a $3,200.00 non-refundable fee without a written agreement, or alternatively failed to deposit the fee into an IOLTA account as a retainer and bill against it. In addition, Booker failed to explain the scope of his representation to his client, and because he did not have a written fee agreement, failed to have proper grounds to withdraw based upon the assertion that the client failed to make payments as agreed. Finally, the court found that Booker impermissibly disclosed confidential information pertaining to the client in his motion to withdraw and failed to respond to letters from the Board of Professional Responsibility seeking a response to the complaint. His actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.5(b)(f), 1.15, 1.16(b)(5), 1.6, 8.1(b) and 8.4(a)(d).

Two lawyers recently were reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee after being on inactive status. They are: Rhea County lawyer Lee R. Thurman and Knox County lawyer Robert Thomas Weaver. Read about their specific cases in the Tennessee Supreme Court orders linked above.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Travis Waymon Tipton to disability inactive status. Tipton may not practice law but may petition the court to return to the practice of law by showing his disability has been removed.

The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Monica Aislynn Timmerman from the practice of law after finding she is substantially non-compliant with a Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program and poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. Timmerman is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 27. Timmerman, a Shelby County assistant district attorney, pleaded guilty to a DUI earlier this year. The court also issued an order placing certain exhibits in the case under seal.

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated three lawyers yesterday who had been suspended for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements. View the order or the full list of those suspended and reinstated online.

Keith Lane Edmiston, a South Carolina attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court today. Edmiston accepted a $600 fee to defend a client against a lawsuit filed on a sworn account, but failed to appear at the hearing on the matter. Edmiston then accepted $1,125 to appeal the matter and filed no appeal and took no further action for the client. A few weeks later, Edmiston placed his license on disability inactive status. In another case, Edmiston accepted a filing fee of $335 for a client for whom he filed bankruptcy. Edmiston did not pay the filing fee to the court, did not place it in trust and did not return it to the client.

Georgia lawyer Kara Elizabeth Phillips was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Sept. 18. She had been on inactive status since May 15, 2015. Phillips filed a petition for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility found it to be satisfactory. The court issued the order today.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 17 attorneys today for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 11 of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2023 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.