People v. W. Jeffrey Barnes. 19PDJ022. August 9, 2019. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge granted a summary judgment in this reciprocal discipline matter and publicly censured W. Jeffrey Barnes (attorney registration number 19646), effective September 13, 2019.
On January 16, 2019, the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee publicly censured Barnes. The Tennessee order of public censure determined that between May 2011 and August 2017 Barnes was admitted to practice pro hac vice in nine foreclosure-related actions in state and federal court in Tennessee. Though Barnes filed affidavits in each of those matters in support of his request for admission, stating in those affidavits that a copy of the affidavit and supporting documents were being sent contemporaneously to the Board of Professional Responsibility, he did not in fact send those materials. Further, Barnes failed to timely pay his pro hac vice registration fee as required by a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule. Barnes thereby violated Tennessee rules mandating fairness to opposing parties and counsel, requiring candor to tribunals, and prohibiting conduct involving misrepresentation.
Through this conduct, Barnes engaged in conduct constituting grounds for reciprocal discipline under C.R.C.P. 251.21. The case file is public per C.R.C.P. 251.31.