Texas lawyer Jamie Elizabeth Silver petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement to the practice of law on Dec. 26, 2024. While considering the request, the court discovered that Silver has outstanding requirements with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility and the Tennessee Department of Revenue. In an order issued this week, the court directed Silver to complete these requirements by March 17 or it will dismiss the petition.

Mississippi lawyer Franklin Alan Garrison petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement of his law license on Dec. 26, 2024. While considering the request, the court discovered that Garrison has outstanding requirements with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility and the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. In an order issued this week, the court directed Garrison to complete these requirements by March 17 or his petition will be dismissed.

Grundy County lawyer Russell Shane Mainord received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 29. Mainord represented three separate clients in immigration cases. Complaints against him included that he failed to provide a client with a copy of his files after being terminated, failed to take proper action on behalf of his clients when he failed to file court documents, and failed to exercise managerial and supervisory authority over his nonlawyer staff, which caused a delay in the proceedings. The court determined that these actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.15, 1.16, 3.2, 5.1 and 5.3. In addition to the censure, the court directed Mainord to refund $1,700 in attorney fees to the first client, $4,000 in attorney fees to the second client and $3,500 in attorney fees to the third client.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 23 suspended 13 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; six 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. Recent reinstatements include eight lawyers in 2024, one in 2022 and one in 2021. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2025 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on Jan. 17 maintaining a temporary suspension imposed on Greene County lawyer Francis Xavier Santore Jr. and a pause in the disciplinary proceeding until Santore complies with certain requirements. While considering disciplinary action against Santore, a Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) hearing panel recommended a five-year suspension with three years on active suspension and two years on probation. Both Santore and the BPR appealed the recommendation. While the appeal was pending in a trial court, the BPR petitioned the Supreme Court to transfer Santore to disability inactive status and require a mental health examination. The court granted the motion. Santore then asked the trial court to halt the disciplinary appeal pending a determination of his alleged incapacity. The trial court granted the motion and suspended the appeal. After Santore indicated he had no intention of complying with requirements of the suspension, the BPR asked the Supreme Court to lift the pause on the appeal so the matter could proceed to conclusion. The court rejected the request.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on Jan. 17 referring a petition from Carter County lawyer Jason Lee Holly seeking dissolution of a temporary suspension to the Board of Professional Responsibility. The court had imposed the suspension on Holly on Oct. 28, 2024, for failing to respond to the board concerning complaints of misconduct. Holly filed a reinstatement petition on Jan. 3, stating he had complied with all conditions imposed by the court, but the board argued that he had not complied with all conditions. The court directed the board to hold a hearing to consider the petition.

Texas lawyer Nuru Witherspoon has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Witherspoon, through two non-lawyer independent contractors employed by his law firm, unlawfully solicited Tennessee families while they were planning funerals in connection with the death of a child in Memphis and with the Woodmore Elementary school bus crash that occurred in Chattanooga. Witherspoon’s contracted employees targeted communication to the victims’ families within 30 days of the accidents, engaging in five acts of solicitation in violation of the Unauthorized Practice of Law Statute and one act of a non-lawyer falsely advertising or holding himself out as a lawyer in violation of the law. Witherspoon ordered or knew about the employees’ conduct and failed to take reasonable remedial action to correct it. He was aware of and responsible in his supervisory role for the contract employees’ conduct, and he also acted in common enterprise with the contract employees in committing unfair or deceptive practices. Witherspoon violated Rules of Professional Conduct 5.3(c), 7.3(a) and (b) and 8.4(a) and (c).

The Tennessee Supreme Court has permanently disbarred Johnson County lawyer and former general sessions judge Perry Lee Stout from the practice of law. Stout was temporarily suspended on Feb. 28, 2024, after pleading guilty to the commission of two felonies: conspiracy to possess with intent to sell not less than ten or more than 70 pounds of marijuana and money laundering. He was sentenced to an effective eight-year sentence in May 2024. In imposing disbarment, the court found that Stout knowingly violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4 (a), (b), (c) and (d) when he purchased illegal drugs and participated in illegal drug trafficking.

The Tennessee Supreme Court censured Michigan attorney Alexander Robert Starr on Jan. 14. The court reports that Starr was authorized to practice in Tennessee while his application for comity admission was pending. Starr did not file motions for pro hac vice admission in at least six criminal cases in Henderson County over the course of five months as required under Rule 7. The court found that these actions violated Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court has transferred the law license of Shelby County lawyer Michael Joseph Parks to disability inactive status. Parks may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition for reinstatement by showing that his disability has been removed.