Opinion ID: 1764161
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Appellate Review of Attorney Disciplinary Matters

Text: The Supreme Court is the source of authority of the Board of Professional Responsibility and its functions. Hughes v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility, 259 S.W.3d 631, 640 (Tenn.2008); Brown v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility, 29 S.W.3d 445, 449 (Tenn.2000). Our duty to regulate the practice of law in this state includes the ultimate disciplinary responsibility for violations of the rules governing our profession. See Doe v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility, 104 S.W.3d 465, 469-70 (Tenn.2003). Accordingly, we examine judgments in light of our inherent power [and] essential and fundamental right to prescribe and administer rules pertaining to the licensing and admission of attorneys. In re Burson, 909 S.W.2d 768, 773 (Tenn.1995). A hearing panel of the Board may conduct hearings and impose discipline for a lawyer's misconduct. Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 9, § 6.4. The types of discipline include disbarment, suspension, temporary suspension, public censure, private reprimand, private informal admonition, and restitution. Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 9, §§ 4.1-4.7. An attorney or the Board may appeal a hearing panel's decision as prescribed in Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 9, § 1.3, which sets forth the trial court and this Court's standard of review. In the present case, the trial court hearing occurred before July 1, 2006, the effective date of the current version of Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 9, § 1.3. Therefore, our review of the trial court's decision is de novo upon the record of the trial court, with a presumption of correctness given to that court's findings unless the evidence preponderates against those findings. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility v. Curry, 266 S.W.3d 379, 388 (Tenn., 2008).