The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended 10 attorneys last week 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 April 22 fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended for fee and IOLTA violations in 2022 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Williamson County lawyer Connie Lynn Reguli was suspended from the practice of law today and her case referred to the Board of Professional Responsibility to determine the extent of final discipline. The Tennessee Supreme Court took the action after Reguli was found guilty of facilitating custodial interference and two counts of accessory after the fact. News reports indicated that Reguli transported a woman and daughter to her home after learning a court ordered the daughter placed in DCS custody and the TBI issued an endangered child alert.

Knox County lawyer Keri Elizabeth Rule was today placed on disability inactive status by the Tennessee Supreme Court. She cannot practice law while on disability inactive status, but may return to practice after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court upon showing that her disability has been removed in accordance with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 27.7.

Sullivan County lawyer Kyle Douglas Vaughan was today disbarred from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Vaughan was convicted of theft of property from his law partners in Washington County Criminal Court. He must pay restitution to his former law partners in the amount of $223,452.20 and pay all costs incurred to the Board of Professional Responsibility.

Rutherford County lawyer Andre Chase Rabideau was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 11. The court found that after agreeing to represent a client pursuing civil claims arising out of a fire, Rabideau failed to take any action to pursue his client’s claims and did not maintain good communication with his client. When the client inquired about the status of the representation, Rabideau falsely implied that a lawsuit had been filed. He also failed to return the client’s file materials. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4(a) and 1.16(d). In addition to imposing the censure, the court also ordered Rabideau to refund $750 in attorney’s fees to his former client within 90 days.

Hamilton County lawyer John Scott Wesson was censured yesterday by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Wesson failed to appear at a deposition and other court hearings, failed to file a response to opposing counsel’s motion for summary judgment, and failed to maintain good communication with his client. Wesson was also found in civil contempt after he was named a party in a show cause proceeding. HIs actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 8.4(g).

New York lawyer Timothy Charles Cox and Mississippi lawyer Kate Mauldin Embry recently were reinstated to the practice of law after having been on inactive status for more than five years. Cox was reinstated effective March 24 while Embry was reinstated effective March 23. The court issued the orders on April 8.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended David Dwayne Harris from the practice of law for two years, less the 75 days he has already served on suspension. On May 1, 2020, Harris was suspended from the practice of law for two years, with 60 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder to be served on probation so long as he met certain conditions, including making restitution within a year. After a year passed, the Board of Professional Responsibility reported that Harris failed to pay the restitution and filed a petition to revoke probation. The court adopted the recommendation, revoked the probation, and reinstated the full two-year suspension.

Shelby County lawyer Darryl Wayne Humphrey was reinstated to the practice of law on Friday. He had been suspended for six months on Sept. 25, 2017. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that he had complied with the terms and conditions of his suspension and demonstrated the moral qualifications, competency and learning in the law required for the practice of law. As conditions of his reinstatement, Humphrey must engage a practice monitor for one year and complete a practice and professionalism enhancement program in the first 45 days of his reinstatement.

Michael Glen Hatmaker of Campbell County was today disbarred from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. According to the first complaint from the Board of Professional Responsibility, Hatmaker was paid $7,500 to represent a client in a criminal matter, but failed to refund the unearned balance to his client after he was suspended from the practice of law. He also failed to comply with the terms and conditions of his suspension. In the second complaint, Hatmaker set aside a default judgment without the knowledge or authorization of his client and took no action thereafter to prosecute his client’s action or reasonably communicate with his client about the status of her case. He also failed to respond to the BPR about either complaint. He executed a conditional guilty plea and is not eligible for reinstatement.