Legal Ethics
Lawyer Held in Contempt for Failing to Pursue Two Criminal Appeals
A Knoxville lawyer has been held in contempt for failing to pursue appeals on behalf of two clients convicted of murder and arson.
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals gave lawyer Charles Currier until Aug. 21 to file briefs on behalf of the clients and said he will be jailed for five days if he doesn’t comply, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports.
The briefs were originally due in January and Currier was given several extensions. Currier said he had been suffering medical problems and he was also busy defending charges of jury tampering, the story says. The charges against Currier were later dropped.
“I have not been goofing off,” Currier said.
