In the Matter of Knight

Supreme Court of Georgia

In the Matter of Knight

696 S.E.2d 662, 287 Ga. 466, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 2079, 2010 Ga. LEXIS 479

CourtSupreme Court of Georgia

DecidedJune 28, 2010

DocketS10Y1277

StatusPublished

This text of 696 S.E.2d 662 (In the Matter of Knight) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

In the Matter of Knight, 696 S.E.2d 662, 287 Ga. 466, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 2079, 2010 Ga. LEXIS 479 (Ga. 2010).

Pincite

Opinion

Per curiam.

This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the recommendation of special master Jones Webb that the Court accept the amended petition of Donald Keith Knight, Jr. (State Bar No. 425555) for voluntary surrender of his license to practice law. See Bar Rule 4-104. Following the filing of three formal complaints and the appointment of the special master, Knight filed a petition and amended petition for voluntary surrender of his license in which he admitted that he suffered from drug addiction to the extent that it impaired his competency as an attorney. He also admitted all the material allegations of the three formal complaints, as well as the allegations of seven additional grievances filed against him. The State Bar submitted a response before the special master recommending acceptance of the petition.

The admitted facts show that Knight forged his former law partner’s name to bank documents, removed client funds from his trust account, deposited checks payable to his firm into his personal bank account, converted firm checks payable to third parties to his own use, accepted fees from clients then failed to communicate with them, willfully abandoned clients’ cases, and converted funds he received in a fiduciary capacity to his own use. By this conduct he admits that he has violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.15 (I), 1.15 (II), 1.16 (d), *467 and 8.4 (a) (4), all of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct found in Bar Rule 4-102 (d). The maximum sanction for a violation of Rules 1.3, 1.15 (I), 1.15 (II), and 8.4 (a) (4) is disbarment, and for Rules 1.4 and 1.16 is a public reprimand.

Decided June 28, 2010. Paula J. Frederick, General Counsel State Bar, Jenny K. Mittelman, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia. Wilson, Morton & Downs, James E. Spence, Jr., for Knight.

We have reviewed the record and agree to accept Knight’s petition for voluntary surrender of his license, which is tantamount to disbarment. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that the name of Donald Keith Knight, Jr. be removed from the rolls of persons authorized to practice law in the State of Georgia. Knight is reminded of his duties pursuant to Bar Rule 4-219 (c).

Voluntary surrender of license accepted.

Ml the Justices concur.

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Per curiam.

This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the recommendation of special master Jones Webb that the Court accept the amended petition of Donald Keith Knight, Jr. (State Bar No. 425555) for voluntary surrender of his license to practice law. See Bar Rule 4-104. Following the filing of three formal complaints and the appointment of the special master, Knight filed a petition and amended petition for voluntary surrender of his license in which he admitted that he suffered from drug addiction to the extent that it impaired his competency as an attorney. He also admitted all the material allegations of the three formal complaints, as well as the allegations of seven additional grievances filed against him. The State Bar submitted a response before the special master recommending acceptance of the petition.

The admitted facts show that Knight forged his former law partner’s name to bank documents, removed client funds from his trust account, deposited checks payable to his firm into his personal bank account, converted firm checks payable to third parties to his own use, accepted fees from clients then failed to communicate with them, willfully abandoned clients’ cases, and converted funds he received in a fiduciary capacity to his own use. By this conduct he admits that he has violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.15 (I), 1.15 (II), 1.16 (d), *467 and 8.4 (a) (4), all of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct found in Bar Rule 4-102 (d). The maximum sanction for a violation of Rules 1.3, 1.15 (I), 1.15 (II), and 8.4 (a) (4) is disbarment, and for Rules 1.4 and 1.16 is a public reprimand.

Decided June 28, 2010. Paula J. Frederick, General Counsel State Bar, Jenny K. Mittelman, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia. Wilson, Morton & Downs, James E. Spence, Jr., for Knight.

We have reviewed the record and agree to accept Knight’s petition for voluntary surrender of his license, which is tantamount to disbarment. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that the name of Donald Keith Knight, Jr. be removed from the rolls of persons authorized to practice law in the State of Georgia. Knight is reminded of his duties pursuant to Bar Rule 4-219 (c).

Voluntary surrender of license accepted.

Ml the Justices concur.

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Bluebook (online)

696 S.E.2d 662, 287 Ga. 466, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 2079, 2010 Ga. LEXIS 479, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-matter-of-knight-ga-2010.