Effective Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Tennessee permanently disbarred David James Fulton from the practice of law and ordered him to pay all costs incurred to the Board of Professional Responsibility (“Board”). The Board filed a Petition for Discipline against Mr. Fulton, and the disciplinary matter was tried before a Hearing Panel on March 24.

The Hearing Panel found that Mr. Fulton: (1) failed to provide professional services for which he had been retained and abandoned representation of his client, (2) failed to reasonably communicate with his client and respond to multiple requests for information, (3) failed to diligently and competently advance his client’s case forward, (4) made intentional misrepresentations and omissions of critical facts to the Court on multiple occasions, (5) consciously disregarded a Court Order related to the retention and dissemination of client funds, and (6) misappropriated $54,004.24 of client funds for his personal benefit and without his client’s or the Court’s knowledge or permission.

The Hearing Panel found the conduct of Mr.