how to file a complaints against a tennessee district attorney

by Lina Deckow Sr. 6 min read

If you believe your attorney has not acted in your best interest and has thereby done something illegal or unethical, you may wish to file a grievance against your attorney. In Tennessee you may contact the Board of Professional Responsibility at 1-800-486-5714 (www.tbpr.org).

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

How do I file a complaint against Tennessee?

If you are worried that your complaint was not received, you may email [email protected] or call 615-741-4737 and our staff will be glad to check for you. Once processed, you will receive a notice from a consumer specialist letting you know that your complaint is being sent to the business.

Can anyone file a complaint?

A complainant must also be "within the jurisdiction" of a country to file a complaint against the national government. While victims don't have to be citizens, this usually means that they live in or are at least physically present in that country.

How do I contact the Tennessee attorney general?

Related Agencies' Contact InformationTennessee Attorney General. Opinions on the Web. Public Information Office. (615) 741-5860.Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. 226 Capitol Boulevard, Suite 800. Nashville, TN 37219-1804. ... Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. 10 Cadillac Drive, Suite 220. Brentwood, TN 37027.

What is the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act?

The Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 was passed for the purpose of protecting consumers and businesses from unfair and deceptive acts or practices in trade or commerce by providing civil legal means to ensure ethical dealings between businesses and consumers.

Who is the attorney general in Tennessee?

Herbert Slatery III (Republican Party)Tennessee / Attorney generalHerbert H. Slatery III is an American attorney from the state of Tennessee. A Republican, he serves as the Attorney General of Tennessee. Wikipedia

Who can initiate a complaint?

plaintiffMost civil cases are started by one party (the party suing, called the “plaintiff”) filing a “complaint” with the court. A “complaint” is a document that describes what the plaintiff wants (money or some other type of relief) and why she believes she is entitled to that relief.

Who Cannot file a complaint?

Any voluntary consumer association registered under any law for the time being in force. The Central Government or any State Government. The Central Authority. One or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest.

What is the difference between complaints and grievances?

Complaints can cover everything from cleanliness of restrooms to job flexibility. Grievances, on the other hand, are formal complaints made by employees when they think a company or government policy, such as an anti-discrimination law, has been violated.

Where is a 615 area code?

NashvilleThe 615 area code generally covers the north-central portion of the state of Tennessee serving communities such as Franklin, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Lebanon, Murfreesboro, Nashville and Springfield.

How many district attorney generals are there in Tennessee?

31 districtsAll 31 districts have CPITs. These teams include the local District Attorney General and a host of other state and local partnership agencies.

Who is on the Tennessee Supreme Court?

Pictured in the courtroom at the Supreme Court Building in Nashville are, seated: Chief Justice Jeffrey S. Bivins; standing: Justice Holly Kirby, Justice Cornelia A. Clark, Justice Sharon G. Lee, and Justice Roger A. Page.

What happens if an attorney violates the Rules of Professional Conduct?

Attorneys who violate the Rules of Professional Conduct are subject to discipline, which could mean suspension of the right to practice law, or even disbarment. All lawyers, however, are not of equal abilities.

Why do lawyers lose trust?

A lawyer may lose the trust and confidence of a client for various reasons. In some cases this may result from unethical conduct. In other cases, grounds for discipline may not exist because the lawyer may not have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. Disciplining a lawyer requires evidence - proof of misconduct - to justify disciplinary ...

Does a mistake alone constitute misconduct?

An honest disagreement about how a case should have been handled does not constitute misconduct, even if the outcome of the case is disappointing. A mistake alone does not constitute misconduct. Like all others, lawyers make mistakes.

What is the DCA?

The Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA), now housed in the Attorney General’s Office, works to handle consumer complaints and educate consumers on the latest scams and threats that could cause harm.

Can the Attorney General represent you in a complaint?

The Attorney General’s Office cannot represent you in your complaint. If you need legal advice or assistance, you should consult a private attorney. Failure to commence legal action within certain time frames may bar you from obtaining legal relief.

What happens if a complaint does not include specific facts?

If the complaint does not include specific facts which establish judicial misconduct, the investigative panel will dismiss the complaint and notify you and the judge of the dismissal. If the complaint contains information about a judge that sets out facts which, if true, indicate judicial misconduct, the disciplinary counsel will conduct ...

What to do if you believe a judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct?

If you believe a judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, you may file a complaint with the Board of Judicial Conduct . Before filing a complaint, please review the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the complaint process and what the Board of Judicial Conduct may consider. To file a complaint, you must fill out ...

What is the phone number of the Board of Judicial Conduct?

Phone: (615) 564-0425. Phone: (615) 922-0122. By law, all matters that come before the Board of Judicial Conduct are confidential and privileged unless formal charges are filed against the judge.

How to file a complaint against an attorney in Tennessee?

To bring a disciplinary proceeding against an attorney in the state, the Tennessee Supreme Court requires that you first file a Memorandum of Complaint with the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court that includes your name, the name of the attorney and a description of the fact s leading to the complaint. You should also provide any paperwork that supports your complaint. If, for example, you have alleged that your attorney missed several important filing deadlines, include relevant judicial orders and state or local rules that set out the limits for filing lawsuits.

What are the rules of attorney ethics in Tennessee?

Attorneys' Ethics Violations. All lawyers who practice in Tennessee must abide by the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct, which govern the client-lawyer relationship. These rules require attorneys to generally act with diligence and competence. For example, an attorney must not miss important deadlines, which would put a client's case at risk.

What is the purpose of discipline in a lawyer?

The main purpose of discipline is to correct the lawyer's wrongdoings. To warrant discipline, the lawyer must have engaged in professional misconduct; merely making a mistake, ...

What is Christina Whitaker's degree?

Christina Whitaker began her writing career in 2005 in newspaper journalism. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA and a law degree. Her legal experience includes work in Federal Court, and civil and criminal litigation. She also maintains a blog on social, pop-culture and cultural matters.

Can a lawyer disclose client information without permission?

He must also properly disclose fees to clients and maintain client funds in a properly designated account. Under the rules, lawyers may not divulge confidential client information without permission, or take on work that creates a conflict of interest with another client.

Can a hearing committee recommend discipline?

The hearing committee can recommend discipline, but the entire board renders the final decision based upon the hearing committee's findings. Attorneys who have been disciplined by the board can appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

What are the types of complaints against lawyers?

Common types of behavior that are subject of attorney complaints are: Attorney incompetence. The attorney does not have the knowledge and experience to handle your case. Failure to communicate. Clients expect to be kept informed about ...

What is attorney discipline?

The state board charged with attorney discipline accepts and investigates written complaints about lawyers licensed to practice or practicing in that state. Not every attorney complaint leads to disbarment. Rather, most state boards have a range of possible actions they can take against an offending attorney, including private or public reprimands, suspension for a set period, restitution of money stolen and disbarment. Further, if the board investigates a complaint and finds that the complaint was frivolous or otherwise did not have merit, there will be no record of it.

What are the rules of professional conduct?

The American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, contains best practices for lawyers and is often adapted in part by state regulators. Clients, as well as judges and other lawyers, can file complaints with the state's disciplinary board when they believe that an attorney has violated those standards.

What are the rules of practice for lawyers?

The rules of practice include fee issues as well as ethical standards.

What is the National Lawyer Data Bank?

Since 1968, the American Bar Association's Center for Professional Responsibility has offered the National Lawyer Regulatory Data Bank as a national repository of information about regulatory actions relating to lawyers.

Can you fire an attorney?

Behavior after being fired. Clients always have the right to fire an attorney, and the attorney cannot refuse to release the client's file even if attorneys’ fees haven’t been paid in full. Conflicts of interest.

What to do if you are unsure about an attorney?

If you are unsure whether your concerns with an attorney involve professional misconduct, in most states you can call or email the disciplinary office and discuss the matter prior to submitting a written complaint. Contact information for attorney regulatory authorities, by jurisdiction:

What are some examples of attorney practices that violate the Rules?

Some examples of attorney practices that violates the Rules include: Failure to provide an accounting of your money or property held by the attorney. Commingling your funds with the attorney's own money. Refusing to return your file at the conclusion of the representation.

What are some examples of attorney misconduct?

Some examples of attorney practices that violates the Rules include: Serious neglect of your case. Failure to provide an accounting of your money ...

Christine C McCall

It depends on the nature of the unprofessional conduct you are complaining about. In all events, you can write a letter of complaint directly to your County District Attorney. Your letter will get assigned for investigation and response. Some but not all allegations of unprofessional conduct can merit State Bar attention as well.

Philip Douglas Cave

If this relates to an ongoing case which is still in court, this might be a matter your defense lawyer can raise with the judge in a motion or in a request for sanctions in the ongoing trial.

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