BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (2006)
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BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
of the
SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
1101 KERMIT DRIVE, SUITE 730
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37217
TELEPHONE: (615) 361-7500
(800) 486-5714
FAX: (615) 367-2480
E-MAIL: ethics@tbpr.org
Website: www.tbpr.org
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
RE: GERALD TODD EIDSON, REG. NO. 17342
CONTACT: THERESA M. COSTONIS
BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
April 21, 2006
GREENEVILLE LAWYER CENSURED
Gerald Todd Eidson, a Greeneville attorney, received a Public Censure from the Board of
Professional Responsibility on April 20, 2006.
Complainants, Mr. Eidsonâs former clientâs parents, are the paternal grandparents of three
children, at least one of whom was sexually molested by their motherâs boyfriend.
Complainantsâ son, the father, and the childrenâs mother, had joint custody. Complainantsâ son
hired Mr. Eidson with regard to this matter. Complainants and their son assert that they
repeatedly urged Mr. Eidson to seek both temporary emergency and permanent custody of their
sonâs children on their son's behalf. Mr. Eidson admits that he told his client that âif any further
circumstances arose to let me know immediately so that further pleadings could be filed. I did
tell him I would pursue full or temporary custody for him if further circumstances arose.â Mr.
Eidson said he did not prepare any pleading âthat related to custody because no further
information was provided to me that, in my opinion that [sic.] gave grounds upon which a
pleading could justly be filed seeking a change of custody.â Complainants and their son
provided Mr. Eidson with names and contact information for witnesses. Mr. Eidson did not
contact any of these witnesses, however, nor did he pursue a change of custody, breaching his
previous assurance that he would do so if he was presented with additional evidence. The
mother accompanied her boyfriend to the hearings in his criminal case. Complainants allege
they called Mr. Eidson from the courthouse during one of these hearings to let him know the
mother was there, so that he could utilize the opportunity to serve her with a custody petition.
Mr. Eidson neglected to do so. Complainantsâ son accordingly fired Mr. Eidson and hired
another attorney. Mr. Eidsonâs failure to seek custody, despite his promise to do so if
information justifying it came to light, when such information had come to light and
Complainants and their son had made Mr. Eidson aware of it, constituted a violation of RPC 1.3.
In further aggravation of this violation, Mr. Eidson failed to respond to requests for additional
information from Disciplinary Counsel, which also violated RPC 8.1(b). For the aforementioned
violations, Gerald Todd Eidson was Publicly Censured.
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.
Eidson 28088-1 rel.doc
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