The Tennessee Supreme Court has censured Madison County lawyer Marcus Allen Lipham for violating Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.2(a), 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(c) and 3.1. The court found that Lipham filed a lawsuit on behalf of a client that lacked any meritorious basis in fact or law. He then subsequently failed to file a response to the defense counsel’s motion to dismiss or seek leave to amend the original complaint, and agreed to dismissal of the suit with prejudice without his client’s informed consent. The court said Lipham also failed to respond to a motion for sanctions filed by defense counsel or notify his client of the motion hearing.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Chattanooga attorney David James Fulton from the practice of law upon finding Fulton misappropriated funds for his personal use and posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. Fulton is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and he must cease representing existing clients by May 9. The suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has censured Hawkins County attorney Terry Risner. The court found that Risner did not timely file a brief on behalf of a client with the Court of Appeals, despite being given two 10-day extensions. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 3.4 and 8.4(d). A public censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended Georgia attorney John Cris Helton from the practice of law in Tennessee for five years, with four years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation with the condition that Helton engage a practice monitor. The court found that Helton failed to file required federal income tax returns for several years and willfully attempted to avoid tax liabilities. After the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiated civil litigation against Helton to recover approximately $400,000 in owed income taxes, Helton filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection, asserting that the IRS lien should be discharged. The federal bankruptcy court determined that the tax debt was non-dischargeable because the failure to pay was willful and intentional. On appeal, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court ruling. Helton agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(c).

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Shelby County lawyer Sheila L. Robinson-Beasley after finding that she misappropriated funds and property for her personal use, and poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the court.

Williamson County lawyer Randy Wayne "R.W." Hardison was reinstated to the practice of law today after being suspended for five years by the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 17, 2019, retroactive to a temporary suspension imposed on Aug. 29, 2017. On Oct. 12, 2023, Hardison filed a reinstatement petition and the court found it to be satisfactory.

The Tennessee Supreme Court censured Shelby County lawyer William Ray Glasgow on April 3. The court found that a lawsuit Glasgow filed on behalf of a client against a sitting judge lacked any meritorious basis in fact or law, and was done solely to advance his own interests as a candidate challenging the judge in an upcoming judicial election. The court also found that the lawsuit contained a false or reckless statement that the sitting judge had engaged in "constructive kidnapping" of a minor child with "willful and deliberate malice and intent" while presiding over a dependent and neglect proceeding. These actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 4.4(a)(l), 8.2(a) and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court on March 22 suspended 20 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 12 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 2024 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Williamson County lawyer Melanie Valunas Dillender has been reinstated to the practice of law. Dillender had been on inactive status since Jan. 3, 2007. The Board of Professional Responsibility reviewed the reinstatement petition and reported to the Tennessee Supreme Court that it was satisfactory. The court issued the reinstatement order today and made the action retroactive to March 22.

Georgia lawyer Erik Todd Fuqua has been reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee. Fuqua was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on Oct. 5, 2014. He petitioned for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility deemed it to be satisfactory. The court issued its order today but made the reinstatement effective as of March 22.