Blount County lawyer Charles David Deas was temporarily suspended from the practice of law yesterday. The Tennessee Supreme Court also ordered him to be evaluated by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program. Based on information provided by the Blount County Circuit Court and General Sessions Court, the Supreme Court determined that Deas posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. It also said substantial concern had been raised regarding his ability to practice law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today asked the Board of Professional Responsibility to review the case of Davidson County lawyer David Paul Von Wiegandt, who pled guilty in September to the misdemeanor offense of driving under the influence in Davidson County Circuit Court. The court referred the matter to the BPR for “whatever action the board may deem warranted.”

A number of lawyers were recently reinstated after being suspended for administrative violations. The group includes 18 who were reinstated after complying with CLE requirements for 2019, 2018, 2010 and 2008; seven who were reinstated after paying professional taxes for 2020 and 2018; 10 who were reinstated after paying their annual fee for 2020, 2019 and 2015; and one who was reinstated after paying the inactive fee for 2013. View all administrative suspensions and reinstatement lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Oct. 1 suspended 22 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee, 13 of whom also failed to submit certification that all eligible funds are held in an IOLTA account. See the full list of those suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2020. See all administrative suspensions lists dating back to 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended Virginia lawyer Stephen Kenneth Perry from the practice of law for two years, retroactive to Jan. 2, 2019, the date a temporary suspension was imposed. As a condition of reinstatement, Perry must pay restitution to his client and undergo an evaluation by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program. The court found that Perry essentially abandoned his client’s case and failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility in violation of Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16, 3.2, 8.1(b) and 8.4(d).

The Tennessee Supreme Court today suspended the law license of Morristown attorney Douglas Ralph Beier for two years. The court held that Beier made false representations in a child custody case, exploited a client with a disability in an estate case, and engaged in dishonest conduct in order to get an exorbitant fee from an estate. The Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) originally recommended a three-month active suspension followed by 21 months of probation. The chancery court ruled that the discipline should be increased to two years of active suspension. The Supreme Court agreed with the chancery court and rejected the probation time. The court pointed to the seriousness of the breach of ethics rules and the fact that Beier refused to acknowledge the wrongfulness of his conduct as reasoning for its decision. Read the BPR release.

The law license of Charles Terry Webber was today transferred to disability inactive status by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Webber cannot practice law while on disability inactive status, but may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court upon showing clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed, and he is fit to resume the practice of law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today reinstated George H. Thompson III to the practice of law. Thompson was suspended in April for one year, with 30 days served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. He was also ordered to pay the Board of Professional Responsibility for all costs in the disciplinary proceeding. Thompson’s reinstatement to active practice is conditioned upon his engagement for 11 months of a practice monitor who will meet with him monthly to assess his case load, timeliness of tasks, adequacy of communication with clients and provide monthly written reports of progress to the disciplinary counsel. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request from Carroll County lawyer Benjamin Dempsey to “supplement, complete and correct the record” in the matter of his suspension from the practice of law. The court suspended Dempsey for five years on Aug. 21, with three years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on conditional probation, after he agreed to a conditional guilty plea. The court made the suspension retroactive to Aug. 16, 2018, the date of his temporary suspension. On Sept. 4, Dempsey filed the motion to correct the record, which the Board of Professional Conduct opposed. The court said it reviewed all materials before rejecting Dempsey’s motion.

The state Supreme Court today temporarily suspended attorney Robert R. Rexrode from the practice of law after he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding a complaint of misconduct. Section 12.3 of Supreme Court Rule 9 provides for the immediate summary suspension of an attorney’s license to practice law if an attorney fails to respond to a complaint of misconduct. Rexrode must immediately stop accepting any new cases and must cease representing existing clients by Oct. 25.  The suspension will remain in effect until dissolution or modification by the Supreme Court, which Rexrode may for good cause request by petition to the high court.