Opinion ID: 1058880
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Supreme Court has the authority to reject proposed settlements which would conclude a matter by public censure once formal charges have been served.

Text: After the petition for discipline was filed against Henderson, starting the formal disciplinary proceedings, Henderson entered a conditional guilty plea to the charges against him in exchange for a public censure. That conditional plea was presented to this Court for review and was rejected. Henderson argues that Disciplinary Counsel failed to follow procedures set forth in Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 8.4 (2001) by seeking approval from the Supreme Court of an agreement reached by the parties, and approved by Disciplinary Counsel and the hearing panel. Section 8.4 provides for Supreme Court review of judgments or settlements resulting in disbarment or suspension. [4] Henderson's argument ignores Rule 9, section 16.1 which applies directly to discipline by consent, and states: An attorney against whom formal charges have been served may at any stage of the proceedings before the Board, hearing committee or trial court, thereafter tender a conditional guilty plea to the petition or to a particular count thereof in exchange for a stated form of punishment. Such a tendered plea shall be submitted to Disciplinary Counsel and approved or rejected by the Board upon recommendation of the hearing committee if the matter has been assigned for hearing, or shall by approved or rejected by the trial court if a petition for certiorari has been filed; subject, however, in either event, to final approval or rejection by this Court if the stated form of punishment includes disbarment, suspension or public reprimand. Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 9, § 16.1 (2001). The conditional plea in question was tendered after the formal petition for discipline was entered and a hearing before the Hearing Panel was scheduled. Therefore, pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 16.1 (2001) any conditional guilty plea entered at that time was subject to final approval or rejection by this Court because the stated form of punishment called for public censure.