Disciplinary Notices
Disbarments • Scottsboro attorney Grady Douglas Benson was disbarred from the practice of law in Alabama effective January 25, 2010 by order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The supreme court entered its order based upon the April 10, 2009 order of Panel III of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. In ASB No. 08-175(A), Benson failed to disburse settlement funds on a subrogation claim for medical expenses and court reporting fees. Benson also converted client funds deposited into his trust account for his own personal use. [ASB No. 08-175(A)] • Birmingham attorney Christopher Patrick Moseley was disbarred from the practice of law in Alabama by order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective February 13, 2009, the date of Moseley’s previously ordered interim suspension. The supreme court entered its order based upon the December 2, 2009 order of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. Moseley improperly withdrew client or lender funds totaling approximately $533,367 from his trust account from January 2004 through September 2008. Moseley also incurred approximately $18,028 in overdraft and insufficient funds charges which he failed to reimburse to his trust account. [Rule 20(a), Pet. No. 09-1152(A); ASB No. 08-1417(A)] • The Supreme Court of Alabama adopted the order of the Alabama State Bar Disciplinary Board, Panel I, disbarring Montgomery attorney Beatrice Elaine Oliver from the practice of law in Alabama, effective January 22, 2010. The disbarment was entered as reciprocal discipline regarding the April 7, 2009 disbarment of Oliver entered by the State Bar of Texas. [Rule 25, Pet. No. 2009-1489]
Suspensions • Oneonta attorney James Robert Bentley was suspended from the practice of law in Alabama by order of the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar for 91 days. The Disciplinary Commission ordered that said suspension be held in abeyance and Bentley be placed on probation for a period of two years pursuant
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to Rule 8(h), Ala. R. Disc. P. The Disciplinary Commission accepted Bentley’s conditional guilty plea wherein he pled guilty to violations of rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.15(a), 8.4(a), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. Bentley failed to perform legal work for a client which he was hired to do. [ASB No. 09-1794(A)] • On October 5, 2009, an order was entered by Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar suspending Gadsden attorney John Edward Cunningham for two years with the suspension being held in abeyance. Cunningham was also placed on probation for three years. Cunningham entered a conditional guilty plea to violations of rules 1.3, 1.5(a), 8.4(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(g), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. In or about October 2003, Cunningham was retained to represent a client in a domestic matter and was paid attorney’s fees and expenses. Although being assured the divorce pleading had been filed, after approximately one year, the client learned nothing had been filed. [ASB No. 04-282(A)] • Effective January 27, 2010, attorney Temo Lopez of Birmingham was suspended from the practice of law in Alabama for noncompliance with the 2008 Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirements of the Alabama State Bar. [CLE No. 09-1506] • Birmingham attorney Temo Lopez was suspended from the practice of law in Alabama for 91 days, effective January 27, 2010, by order of the Alabama Supreme Court. The supreme court entered its order based upon the decision of Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar. On September 11, 2009, the Disciplinary Commission accepted Lopez’s conditional guilty plea in ASB nos. 07-82(A) and 09-1053(A) and Rule 20(a), Pet. No. 09-1150, and ordered that he be suspended from the practice of law in Alabama for 91 days. The suspension was deferred pending successful completion of a two-year probationary period. As part of the plea, ASB No. 07-82(A) and Rule 20(a), Pet. No. 09-1150 were dismissed. Lopez pled guilty to a violation of Rule 8.1(b), Ala. R. Prof. C., and admitted that during the course of a disciplinary investigation, he failed to respond to requests for information from a disciplinary authority.