Supreme Court of Georgia · bar discipline

In the Matter of Mark Preston Jones

Filed March 30, 2022 · Docket S22Y0606 · 871 S.E.2d 671

The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a Columbus lawyer's request to give up his law license after he pleaded guilty to felony charges including influencing a witness, treating the surrender as equivalent to disbarment.

In plain language

Mark Preston Jones, a member of the Georgia Bar since 2007, pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of Muscogee County to influencing a witness, violation of oath by a public officer, and two counts of attempted violation of oath by a public officer, all felonies under Georgia law. Because of that conviction, he asked the Supreme Court of Georgia to accept his voluntary surrender of his law license rather than go through formal disciplinary proceedings. The State Bar of Georgia agreed with the facts in his petition and asked the court to accept it. The court reviewed the record, accepted the surrender, and ordered his name removed from the list of people allowed to practice law in Georgia, reminding him of his ongoing duties to notify clients and courts under the bar rules.

What the court decided

Because Jones admitted to a felony conviction, which under Rule 8.4 (a) (2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct carries a maximum penalty of disbarment, the court accepted his voluntary surrender of his law license as equivalent to disbarment.

Why it matters

The decision permanently removes a lawyer convicted of felony crimes involving witness tampering and abuse of public office from practicing law in Georgia, protecting clients and the public, and shows how the State Bar resolves felony convictions without a lengthy formal disciplinary process.

Outcome

Voluntary surrender of license accepted

How the court got there

Jones admitted he pleaded guilty to felony charges, including influencing a witness and violating his oath as a public officer, in a Georgia superior court.
Under Rule 8.4 (a) (2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, a lawyer's felony conviction is grounds for discipline up to disbarment, so Jones's guilty plea triggered that maximum penalty.
Because voluntary surrender of a law license under Bar Rule 4-227 (b) (2) is treated the same as disbarment, Jones asked the court to accept his surrender instead of facing a formal disciplinary complaint.
The State Bar of Georgia reviewed the petition, agreed with the facts described, and asked the court to accept it, and the court did so after reviewing the record.

Topics