Tennessee Supreme Court Disbars Davidson County Attorney for Three Criminal Convictions

Nashville, Tenn –The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the decision of a Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel disbarring a Davidson County attorney for three criminal convictions.& The criminal convictions arise from the attorney’s conduct in representing a client in post-divorce proceedings.Robert Allen Doll, III, practiced family law in Tennessee. In 2013, one of his clients expressed concerns about her children’s safety during visitations with her ex-husband.An emergency petition was filed in the Williamson County domestic relations court to prevent the client’s ex-husband from exercising his visitation. Attached to the petition was an oath containing what appeared to be his client’s notarized signature swearing to the facts in the petition.The signature was notarized by a Davidson County notary, and Mr. Doll signed as the client’s attorney. A judge granted the petition, temporarily stopping the ex-husband from exercising his parenting time, and set the case for a hearing.Mr. Doll was not present at the initial hearing, but the client testified that she had not signed the petition. The judge terminated the restraining order and requested Mr. Doll be present and explain the signature at another hearing. At the second hearing, Mr. Doll told the judge his client was in his office...