Washington County Attorney Suspended Two Years for Ethics Violations
Summary
The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility announced the Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended attorney Jeffrey Dennis Johnson from practice for two years, with 30 days active suspension and remainder on probation. Johnson violated multiple Rules of Professional Conduct including confidentiality, conflict of interest, and duties to former clients in a criminal matter representation.
What changed
The Supreme Court of Tennessee imposed a two-year suspension on Jeffrey Dennis Johnson, BPR #029704, effective April 1, 2026, stemming from his representation of a criminal client whose prior unpaid fees were improperly made a condition of new representation. Johnson additionally made disparaging statements about his client in a withdrawal motion and disclosed confidential information without consent, violating RPC 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 1.16, 3.5(e), and 8.4(d). Johnson entered a Conditional Guilty Plea acknowledging these violations.
Johnson must serve 30 days active suspension, then serve the remaining probation period subject to engaging a practice monitor, completing additional CLE hours, and paying litigation costs. He must comply with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Sections 28 and 30.4 regarding suspended attorney obligations and reinstatement procedures. Fellow Tennessee attorneys should review their conflict-of-interest screening, confidentiality practices, and fee arrangements with former clients to ensure compliance with RPC 1.7, 1.9, and 1.6.
What to do next
- Review conflict of interest screening procedures when considering new representations of former clients
- Audit client confidentiality practices and ensure no unauthorized disclosure of client information
- Review fee arrangement policies to ensure conditions on new representations comply with professional conduct rules
Penalties
Two-year suspension with 30 days active suspension and remainder on probation conditioned on practice monitor engagement, additional CLE, and payment of litigation costs
Source document (simplified)
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
10 CADILLAC DRIVE, SUITE 220 BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE 37027 TELEPHONE: (615) 361-7500 (800) 486-5714 Website: www.tbpr.org RELEASE OF INFORMATION RE: JEFFREY DENNIS JOHNSON, BPR #029704 CONTACT: ERIC A FULLER BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY 615-361-7500 April 1, 2026 WASHINGTON COUNTY LAWYER SUSPENDED Effective April 1, 2026, the Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended Jeffrey Dennis Johnson from the practice of law for two (2) years, with thirty (30) days to be served as an active suspension pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 12.2, and the remainder to be served on probation conditioned upon Mr. Johnson's engagement of a practice monitor, taking of additional CLE hours, and payment of incurred litigation costs. Mr. Johnson represented a client in a criminal matter after representing the client in a separate criminal matter some years previously. The new representation was improperly conditioned upon the client making outstanding payments for the prior representation. In a subsequent motion to withdraw from the most recent representation, Mr. Johnson made derogatory and disparaging statements about his client, and revealed confidential information related to the representation of the client without the client's consent. Mr. Johnson executed a Conditional Guilty Plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct ("RPC") 1.6 (confidentiality), 1.7 (conflict of interest), 1.9 (duties to former clients), 1.16 (declining or terminating representation), 3.5(e) (decorum of the tribunal), and 8.4(d) (misconduct prejudicial to the administration of justice). Mr. Johnson must comply with the requirements of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Sections 28 and 30.4, regarding the obligations and responsibilities of suspended attorneys and the procedure for reinstatement.
Johnson 3501-1 rel.doc
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