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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
AT NASHVILLE

12/16/2021

IN RE: RICHARD LOUIS REYNOLDS, BPR #023174
An Attorney Licensed to Practice Law in Tennessee
(Diamondhead, Mississippi)
________________________
No. M2021-01322-SC-BAR-BP
BOPR No. 2021-3208-0-JB-25
______________________
ORDER OF RECIPROCAL DISCIPLINE
This matter is before the Court pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 25.2, upon a Notice
of Submission filed by the Board of Professional Responsibility (“Board”) consisting of a
certified copy of the Order of Disbarment entered by the Supreme Court of Mississippi, Case
No. 2021-BD-00435-SCT, on September 23, 2021.
On November 9, 2021, this Court entered a Notice of Reciprocal Discipline requiring
Mr. Reynolds to inform this Court within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Notice why
reciprocal discipline should not be imposed in Tennessee pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, §
25.4. The Notice further provided that in the absence of a response demonstrating the grounds
set forth in Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 25.4, this Court would impose discipline with identical
terms and conditions based upon the Order of Disbarment entered by the Supreme Court of
Mississippi. This Court has received no response from Mr. Reynolds.
After careful consideration of the record in this matter, the Court finds, based upon the
particular facts of this case, that none of the elements in Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 25.4 exist. As
a result, it is appropriate to enter an Order of Reciprocal Discipline.
IT IS, THEREFORE, CONSIDERED, ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED
BY THE COURT THAT:
(1)

Richard Louis Reynolds is hereby permanently disbarred from the practice of
law consistent with the Order of Disbarment entered September 23, 2021, by
the State of Mississippi Supreme Court.

(2)

Pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 31.3, Mr. Reynolds shall pay to the Clerk
of this Court the costs incurred herein within ninety (90) days of the entry of
this Order, for all of which execution may issue if necessary.

(3)

Pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 28.1, this Order shall be effective upon entry.

(4)

The Board of Professional Responsibility shall cause notice of this discipline
to be published as required by Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 28.11.
PER CURIAM

2

Serial: 238316
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF MISSISSIPPI
No. 2021-BD-00435-SCT

THE MISSISSIPPIBAR

FILED
SEP 23 1021

v.

RICHARD L. REYNOLDS

OFFICE OF THE CLERK
SUPREME COURT
COURT OF APPEALS

ORDER OF DISBARMENT
¶1.

Richard L. Reynolds, a Mississippi licensed attorney, pled guilty to a felony on

December 15, 2020, in a Texas federal court. The Mississippi Bar has filed its formal
complaint seeking disbarment. Louisiana and Texas, where Reynolds is also barred, have
disciplinary actions pending. Reynolds suggests that judicial economy dictates Mississippi
await another jurisdiction's decision. He asks that Mississippi defer until a final decision is
made in Louisiana and that his discipline would be dependent upon what Louisiana decides.1
We decline and instead disbar Reynolds and revoke his license to practice law in this state.
¶2.

The Mississippi Bar, under Rules 6 and 13 of the Rules of Discipline for the

Mississippi State Bar, filed a formal complaint against Reynolds seeking immediate
suspension and disbarment.2 Reynolds urges this Court to suspend these proceedings against

Reynolds is also barred in Texas. The record does not reveal what action, if any, is
occurring in Texas.
2 The Supreme Court of Louisiana has already suspended Reynolds from the practice

of law on an interim basis while it continues proceedings against him. The Supreme Court
of Tennessee suspended Reynolds from the practice of law pending further orders.
Exhibit A

him until his disciplinaiy process is final in Louisiana and then to impose discipline
reciprocal to what is adjudicated in Louisiana.
¶3.

Reynolds was licensed in Mississippi on May 5, 2004. On December 10, 2020,

Reynolds pled guilty to misprision of a felony, having violated 18 U.S.C. § 4,in the United
States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
¶4.

"This Court has exclusive jurisdiction and inherentjurisdiction ofmatters pertaining

to attorney discipline.'" Miss. Bar v. Galloway, 118 So. 3d 558 (Miss. 2013) (internal
quotation marks omitted)(quoting McIntyre v. Miss. Bar,38 So. 3d 617,622(Miss. 2010)).
Reynolds is a licensed attorney in the state of Mississippi. He is subject to the disciplinary
jurisdiction ofthis Court, yet he asks this Court to ignore ourjurisprudence and to await the
action of a sister state.
¶5.

Reynolds, a licensed Mississippi attorney, pled guilty to a felony under 18 U.S.C. §

4, misprision of a felony.3 18 U.S.C. § 4 reads:
Whoever,having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable
by a court ofthe United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make
known the same to some judge or other person in civil or militaiy authority
under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more
than three years, or both.
18 U.S.C. § 4. Misprision is classified as a Class E Felony. 18 U.S.C. § 3559(a)(5). Reynolds
served a sentence of six months and was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $25,000.
¶6.

This Court has held that"[p]ursuant to [Rule 6(a)], entry ofa plea ofguilty to a felony

mandates automatic disbarment." Miss. Bar v. Murphy,675 So.2d 845(Miss. 1996)(citing
3 This Court takesjudicial notice of United States v. Reynolds,No.3:20-cr-00227-M,

(N.D. Tex. 2020), pursuant to Mississippi Rule of Evidence 201.
2

Miss. Bar v. Sykes, 637 So. 2d 192(Miss. 1994)). Rule 6(a) states:
Whenever any attorney subject to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the
Court shall be convicted in any court of any state or in any federal court, or
enter a plea of guilty or pleas ofnolo contendere therein .. shall be presented
to the Court by Complaint Counsel and shall be conclusive evidence thereof.
The Court shall then forthwith strike the name of the attomey and order his
immediate suspension from the practice law.
M.R.D. 6(a). Rule 6(d) reads in pertinent part that "[w]hen time for appeal from judgment
or conviction . . . expires or all appeals have been concluded without reversal, Complaint
Counsel shall certify that result to the Court, and the Court shall forthwith enter an order of
disbarment."
¶7.

Reynolds is facing disciplinary action in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and

possibly Texas. Reynolds argues thatjudicial economy would best be served by suspending
these proceedings to allow Louisiana to determine the extent of his punishment related to a
crime committed in Texas. This Court finds his argument not well taken.
¶8.

This Court applies Mississippi rules to the breach of Mississippi rules and imposes

appropriate discipline based on Mississippi rules and procedure. M.R.D. 1: By asking this
Court to delay action while awaiting another state's decision only delays the inevitable. Our
rules require disbattnent. The discipline ofdisbarment"serves to help to preserve the dignity
and reputation of the legal profession and also ensures protection of the public from such
conduct." Murphy, 675 So. 2d at 845 (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting In re
Reinstatement ofBakev,649 So.2d 850,853(Miss. 1995)). Judicial economy is not served
by kicking the can down the road. Judicial economy and the people of this state would best
be served by Reynolds's immediate disbarment.
3

¶9.

Our rules and precedent establish that disbarment is an appropriate sanction. This

Court disbars Reynolds and revokes his license to practice before all Mississippi courts.
Reynolds is required to pay all costs associated with the filing and prosecution of this
complaint.
¶10. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED as follows:
1.

Richard L. Reynolds is disbarred from the practice oflaw in the State of Mississippi,
and his name shall be immediately removed from the rolls of the Mississippi Bar;

2.

The Clerk ofthe Supreme Court ofMississippi(the Clerk)shall immediately forward
to the attorneys ofrecord for each party a copy ofthis Order ofDisbarment, and shall
send Reynolds a copy by certified mail, return receipt requested;

3.

The Clerk shall immediately forward an attested copy ofthis Order ofDisbarment to
the Clerks of the United States District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of
Mississippi, to the Clerk of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,
and to the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States;

4.

The Clerk shall immediately forward an attested copy of this Order ofDisbarment to
the judges of the circuit, chancery, and county courts of the districts in which
Reynolds resided and practiced law, with instructions to include a copy of this
judgment upon the minutes of their respective courts;

5.

The Clerk shall forward an attested copy ofthis Order ofDisbai went to the executive
director of the Mississippi Bar;

6.

Reynolds is assessed all costs of this disciplinary proceeding, including the $200
formal-complaint-filing fee and the $30 service-of-process fee. See M.R.D. 25(a);

7.

Reynolds is hereby enjoined from practicing law in Mississippi;from holding himself
out as an attorney at law;from performing any legal service for others;from accepting
any fee directly or indirectly for legal services to be performed for others; from
appearing as counsel or in any representative capacity in any proceeding in any court
ofthe state of Mississippi, or before any administrative body or agency;from holding
himself out to others as or using his name in any manner, in conjunction with the
phrases "attorney at law," "attorney," "counselor at law,""counselor," or "lawyer,"
for the period of his disbarment until such time as he is reinstated to the practice of
law in this state by the Supreme Court of Mississippi;
4

8.

Within ten days of receipt of this Order of Disbarment, Reynolds shall notify in
writing each of his clients of his disbarment and of his consequent inability to act as
an attorney and shall advise each such client to promptly substitute another attorney
or attorneys in his place or to seek legal advice elsewhere;

9.

Reynolds shall return all files, papers, monies, and other properties belonging to his
clients in his possession if any such clients request them after receiving notification
from him. Within thirty days of receipt of this Order of Disbarment, Reynolds shall
file with this Court an affidavit stating that all current Mississippi clients have been
notified of his disbarment and that all files, papers, monies, and other property
belonging to such clients have been returned as ordered and showing in the cases in
which it was not possible to notify such clients or return their property that due
diligence was used to do so;

10.

Within ten days of receipt of this Order of Disbarment, Reynolds shall notify every
attorney and adverse party in any Mississippi proceeding in which he is involved and
all affected courts and agencies of his disbarment and consequent inability to act as
an attorney.
SO ORDERED,this the 21st day of September, 2021.

/s / Michael K. Randolph
MICHAEL K. RANDOLPH,
CHIEF JUSTICE
FOR THE COURT

5

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