Campbell County lawyer Eric John Montierth was temporarily suspended from the practice of law today after the Tennessee Supreme Court found he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility about three complaints of misconduct. Supreme Court Rule 9 Section 12.3 provides for the immediate suspension of an attorney’s license for failure to respond to a complaint. Montierth is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 23.

Davidson County lawyer John Martin Drake was today reinstated to the active practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. However, the court conditioned his reinstatement on him serving two years on probation during which time he must complete five addition hours of continuing legal education and engage a mentor in his area of practice. The mentor must report to the Board of Professional Responsibility every six months. Drake had been suspended on April 28, 2017, for two years. He filed a petition for reinstatement in March and a hearing panel found his petition to be satisfactory.

The law license of Richard Hovey Dinkins was yesterday transferred to disability inactive status by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Dinkins cannot practice law while on disability inactive status and shall comply with the requirements of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Sections 28 regarding the obligations and responsibilities of attorneys transferred to disability inactive status. To be reinstated, he must show the court his disability has been removed.

Florida lawyer Kathleen Elizabeth Dyer and Montana lawyer Melissa Ann Edwards-Smith recently were reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee. Dyer was reinstated on Sept. 1 after having been on inactive status since June 26, 2015. Edwards-Smith was reinstated on Sept. 6 after having been on inactive status since May 31, 2013. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on Sept. 12. 

Shelby County lawyer Johnnie Louis Johnson II was disbarred by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on May 25. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on Sept. 12 asking Johnson to respond as to why imposition of identical discipline in Tennessee should not be imposed. Johnson has 30 days from the issuance of the court’s order to respond.

The Tennessee Supreme Court earlier this month suspended 20 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; seven of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the Sept. 13 fee suspension order and Sept. 15 IOLTA suspension order. Six lawyers have since been reinstated. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2022 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today temporarily suspended Elliott James Schuchardt from the practice of law after finding that he poses a threat of substantial harm to the public. Effective immediately, Schuchardt may not accept any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 21.

Knox County lawyer Daniel Forrest Wilkins was today temporarily suspended from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Wilkins failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct, resulting in immediate summary suspension of his law license. Wilkins must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 15.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Thomas Allen Tansil Jr. from the practice of law for five years, with one year served as an active suspension and the remainder to be served on probation after the competition of evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and compliance with a recommended monitoring agreement. Tansil was convicted of theft of property, tampering with government records and computer offenses in Carroll County. He is credited with the period of suspension served since the entry of the Order of Enforcement on Sept. 15, 2021, with the exclusion of the 60 days he was incarcerated.

Roane County lawyer Kent Lowery Booher, who was disbarred in 2015 based on a conviction of statutory rape, has been sentenced in federal court to life plus 120 months for the sexual exploitation of children, the Claiborne Progress reports. According to trial evidence, Booher used electronic messaging platforms to talk with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The other party turned out to be an undercover officer. Over a five-day period, Booher engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the officer, arranging to meet the supposed minor in person. He was arrested at the destination by the Harriman Police Department. Booher previously was convicted of sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl in 2012 and 2013.