BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (2003)
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BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
of the
SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
LANCE B. BRACY WILLIAM W. HUNT, III
CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL 1101 KERMIT DRIVE, SUITE 730 CHARLES A. HIGH
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37217 SANDY GARRETT
LAURA L. CHASTAIN
DEPUTY CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL TELEPHONE: (615) 361-7500 JESSE D. JOSEPH
(800) 486-5714 JAMES A. VICK
BEVERLY P. SHARPE FAX: (615) 367-2480 THERESA M. COSTONIS
CONSUMER COUNSEL/DIRECTOR E-MAIL: ethics@tbpr.org DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: KAREN MARTIN DOYLE, BPR NO. 18497
CONTACT: JAMES A. VICK
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
October 7, 2003
COOKEVILLE LAWYER CENSURED
Karen Martin Doyle, a Cookeville attorney, was publicly censured by the Board of
Professional Responsibility on October 7, 2003. Ms. Doyle was held in contempt by a Circuit
Court in Kentucky in her personal divorce litigation for failing to comply with an order of the
court to produce documents and was, as a consequence, summarily suspended by the Supreme
Court of Tennessee on April 29, 2003, pursuant to Section 31 of Supreme Court Rule 9. The
summary suspension was dissolved on May 6, 2003, upon Ms. Doyle's compliance with the
Kentucky court's order. Further, Ms. Doyle filed an action on her own behalf in Tennessee for
collection of child support on the basis of an order issued by the Kentucky court which was no
longer effective, and participated in presenting a criminal charge against her ex-husband to gain
an advantage in the civil litigation. All such conduct was committed in the context of Ms.
Doyle's contentious divorce proceedings pending in the State of Kentucky.
Ms. Doyle's conduct was in violation of DR 7-102(A)(1)(2), DR 7-102(A)(1)(2), DR 7-
105(A), and DR 7-106(A)(B)(7) of the Code of Professional Responsibility.
A Public Censure is a form of public discipline which declares the conduct of the lawyer
improper, but does not limit the lawyer's right to practice law.
Doyle 23197-4-jv rel.doc