The Georgia Supreme Court has disbarred former Georgia Congresswoman Denise Majette, finding she overbilled clients and misled the court about how much she was owed in fees.
The 4-2 decision Friday agrees with the recommendation of a special master who investigated a complaint a former client filed against her in 2010. The special master — an experienced lawyer appointed by the high court — wrote in a 36-page report a year ago that he found “inexcusable” conduct involving unsubstantiated legal billings.
DeKalb County voters elected Majette to Congress in 2002 after she defeated then-Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney in the Democratic primary. She resigned after one term to run for the U.S. Senate and lost to Republican Johnny Isakson in the general election in 2004. In 2008, she sought office again but lost her bid to unseat state School Superintendent Kathy Cox.
According to the decision written by the majority of the court, Majette had on “multiple” occasions submitted “wholly unsupported and materially misleading time sheets and invoices to her client” and misrepresented her hours and fees to a court when she submitted them in court cases.
“Majette has failed to express any remorse,” the justices wrote.
Majette, who has practiced law in Georgia since 1983, began having financial problems in 2008 while working as a part-time attorney and real estate agent, the decision said. At that time, she asked other attorneys for loans.
Justice Harold Melton, one of the two justices disagreeing with the decision, noted that Majette had more than 30 years of “distinguished service” without any disciplinary problems and that disbarment was too severe.
“I believe that a prolonged suspension with conditions for reinstatement, rather than disbarment, would be a more appropriate sanction,” Melton wrote for himself and Chief Justice Hugh Thompson.
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