Disciplinary History

Birmingham attorney Neil John Halvorson was issued a public reprimand with general publication on September 16, 2022, as ordered by the Disciplinary Commission for violating Rule 1.7 [Conflict of Interest: General Rule], Rule 1.8 [Conflict of Interest: Prohibited Transactions], and Rule 5.5 [Unauthorized Practice of Law], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. Halvorson had a potential conflict of interest in representing two business entities, an individual and a business owned and operated by said individual. Halvorson failed or refused to obtain a waiver of those conflicts. Further, Halvorson drafted and was paid a fee for estate planning documents for an Illinois resident that intended to dispose of property located in Illinois according to Illinois law. Halvorson was not licensed in Illinois. Halvorson may have been in Alabama when he drafted the estate planning documents but knew the same would be signed and become effective in Illinois. In order for the estate planning documents to be effective, Halvorson had to give advice on Illinois law, including but not limited to the effectiveness of the living trust. Halvorson is also required to pay any and all costs taxed against him, pursuant to Rule 33, Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, including but not limited to a $1,000 administrative fee and publication costs.

Enterprise attorney, Christopher Mark Kaminski was issued a public reprimand with general publication on September 16, 2022, as ordered by the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar, for violating Rules 8.4(a), (d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. In May 2015, Kaminski was appointed as the district court judge for Coffee County and subsequently elected to a full term on November 8, 2015. In September 2018, the Judicial Inquiry Commission began an investigation after receiving a complaint that Kaminski was involved in an extra-marital relationship with attorney Amy Marshall. On July 16, 2019, the Office of General Counsel received a complaint filed by the Judicial Inquiry Commission alleging a number of violations of the Canons of Judicial Ethics. While engaged in the romantic relationship with Marshall, Kaminski routinely appointed Marshall to cases over which Kaminski presided and took judicial action in cases where Marshall was of counsel of record before and after the relationship became public. Kaminski subsequently admitted to violating Canons 1, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C and 3C(1) of the Canons of Judicial Ethics. As a result, Kaminski resigned his position as district court judge and agreed to never seek judicial office again. .

Enterprise attorney, Amy Cauthen Marshall was issued a public reprimand with general publication on September 16, 2022, as ordered by the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar, for violating Rules 1.7(b) [Conflict of Interest: General Rule], 8.4(f) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. On or about July 16, 2019, the Office of General Counsel received a complaint filed by the Judicial Inquiry Commission alleging that Marshall was involved in an extra-marital affair with District Court Judge Christopher Kaminski. During the affair and before the relationship became public, Marshall failed to disclose her relationship with Judge Kaminski to her clients, opposing counsels or opposing parties. Marshall also did not seek and did not obtain conflict waivers from her clients regarding her relationship with Kaminski.

Birmingham attorney, Dantwann Sherrod Crane was issued a public reprimand with general publication on September 16, 2022, as ordered by the Disciplinary Commission for violating Rules 7.3(a) [Direct Contact with Prospective Clients] and Rule 8.4(g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The pertinent facts are that in a physician’s office an unknown female claiming to be Crane’s representative solicited professional employment from a patient receiving treatment for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Shortly thereafter, Crane memorialized the events that took place in the physician’s office in a letter to the patient. Crane is also required to pay any and all costs taxed against him, pursuant to Rule 33, Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, including but not limited to a $1,000 administrative fee and publication costs.

On September 16, 2022, the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar ordered that a private reprimand be issued to an attorney for violating Rules 1.4 [Communication], 1.15 [Safekeeping Property], 1.16(d) [Declining and Terminating Representation] and 8.4 (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. In June 2021, the attorney was retained to represent a client in a possible Chapter 7 Bankruptcy proceeding. At the time, the client was negotiating with a creditor to resolve a debt. The client informed the attorney if the debt was resolved he would no longer need to file for bankruptcy. The client paid the attorney $7,500 plus a $338 filing fee if bankruptcy became necessary. After paying the retainer, the client met with the attorney on two separate occasions and provided documents and information concerning his debts. In August 2021, the client was able to resolve the debt with the creditor and no longer needed to pursue bankruptcy. The client then requested a partial refund of the $7,500 retainer and the $338 filing fee since the bankruptcy petition was never filed. The client was instructed to contact the attorney in December 2021 for the refund. Thereafter, the attorney repeatedly put the client off regarding the refund. Finally, on April 27, 2022, the attorney verbally agreed to refund the client $1,500 and the $338 filing fee. However, the attorney failed to timely make the refund.

Birmingham attorney, Brian Christopher Bugge, was interimly suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective September 14, 2022, pursuant to Rule 20(a), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. The Supreme Court noted the interim suspension based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s order that Bugge be interimly suspended for engaging in continued conduct that is causing, or is likely to cause, immediate and serious injury to a client or the public.

Tuscaloosa attorney John Arthur Owens was Reinstated, effective September 14, 2022, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its Order based upon the August 23, 2022 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar in response to Motion for Reinstatement filed August 4, 2022 with the Office of General Counsel. Owens was transferred to Inactive Status effective August 13, 2020 by Panel II of the Disciplinary Board in response to a Motion to Transfer to Inactive Status filed on August 11, 2020.

Pinson, Alabama attorney Harrison Royster Jones, was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective September 7, 2022. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the August 15, 2022 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s acceptance of Jones’ Consent to Disbarment, which was based on Jones recent arrest for attempting to smuggle heroin to a Jefferson County jail inmate.

Pinson, Alabama attorney Harrison Royster Jones, was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective September 7, 2022. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the August 15, 2022 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s acceptance of Jones’ Consent to Disbarment, which was based on Jones recent arrest for attempting to smuggle heroin to a Jefferson County jail inmate.

Huntsville attorney Michael Finley Robertson, was transferred to Inactive Status, effective August 23, 2022. The Supreme Court entered a notation on the Supreme Court of Alabama’s Roll of Attorneys based upon the August 23, 2022, Order of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar, in response to Robertson’s petition filed with the Office of General Counsel requesting he be transferred to inactive status.

Santa Rosa Bch, Florida, attorney Michael Lee Weimorts, also licensed in the State of Alabama was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective July 27, 2022. On June 15, 2021, the Office of General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar filed a certified copy of discipline imposed on Weimorts by the Supreme Court of Florida, wherein Weimorts was disbarred for failure to respond to a bar complaint and failing to refund unearned fees. The Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar issued Weimorts a Show Cause Order as to why reciprocal discipline should not be imposed upon him pursuant to Rule 25, Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. Weimorts failed to respond. The Alabama State Bar was unable to locate Weimorts and as a result, the Disciplinary Board entered an order authorizing service by publication. Weimorts failed to respond. The Supreme Court entered its order disbarring Weimorts as reciprocal discipline pursuant to Rule 25, Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, effective July 27, 2022.

Birmingham attorney Joel Iverson Gilbert was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective July 27, 2022. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s Order, wherein Gilbert consented to disbarment based on multiple felony convictions in federal court, including Conspiracy, Money Laundering Conspiracy, Bribery (Aiding & Abetting) and Honest Services Wire Fraud (Aiding and Abetting).

Lafayette attorney Roland Lewis Sledge was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective July 8, 2022. The Supreme Court of Alabama entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s Order disbarring Sledge from the practice of law in Alabama based on a conviction for Theft of Property first degree, a Class B felony, in the Circuit Court of Chambers County, Alabama.