--- title: In the Matter of Timothy Paul Healy collection: opinions id: S20Y1015 cite_as: In the Matter of Timothy Paul Healy, 308 Ga. 658 (2020) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20Y1015 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20Y1015.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20Y1015/text source_url: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10367495/in-the-matter-of-timothy-paul-healy/ date: 2020-05-04 status: published corpus_version: opinions-2026-09-14 license: Public record of the Supreme Court of Georgia, via CourtListener and the court's own website; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/2020.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20A0489.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20A0285.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/index.md omitted: opinion extras omitted_chars: 1545 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20Y1015.md?full=1 docket: S20Y1015 citation: 308 Ga. 658 court: Supreme Court of Georgia case_type: bar discipline authoring_justice: Per Curiam disposition: Voluntary surrender of license accepted, tantamount to disbarment vote: All the Justices concur word_count: 692 date_filed_source: courtlistener citations: - 842 S.E.2d 844 record_source: courtlistener legal_areas: - professional discipline upstream_id: "10367495" summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 --- # In the Matter of Timothy Paul Healy Supreme Court of Georgia, docket S20Y1015, filed 2020-05-04, 308 Ga. 658. ## Opinion 308 Ga. 658 FINAL COPY S20Y1015. IN THE MATTER OF TIMOTHY PAUL HEALY. PER CURIAM. This disciplinary matter is before the Court pursuant to the Petition for Voluntary Surrender of License filed by Timothy Paul Healy (State Bar No. 342175). In his petition, Healy requests that the Court allow him to surrender his license pursuant to Bar Rule 4-104, in lieu of accepting discipline for numerous alleged violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. Because the Bar consents to the requested treatment and because the sealed record supports it, the Court accepts the petition. The parties agree that Healy, who has been a member of the State Bar since 1979, is the subject of numerous grievances alleging a myriad of violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, see Bar Rule 4-102 (d), many of which are punishable by disbarment. Although Healy does not admit all of the facts contained in the various grievances, he acknowledges that there is some factual basis to support a finding that he has committed numerous ethical violations. In November 2019, before he received any sort of referral from the State Bar under Bar Rule 4-104, Healy sought and obtained an alcohol and drug evaluation and submitted the written results thereof to the State Bar. Although the evaluation provided significant insight into Healy’s condition, it did not include any sort of assessment of Healy’s fitness to practice law. The Bar then requested that Healy submit to an additional evaluation and that, in the meantime, he discontinue taking new cases and refer or withdraw from all of his open cases. Healy agreed to do so. In December 2019, a healthcare provider confirmed the findings of the earlier assessment and opined that Healy’s conditions would impair his ability to practice law and would place the public at risk or peril. Thereafter, Healy undertook additional treatment but ultimately decided, in conjunction with his healthcare providers, that “to facilitate his recovery over the longer term, to maximize his potential to restore himself to good health and otherwise deal with the outstanding grievances,” he would give up the practice of law. This petition for voluntary surrender of license followed. Healy asserts that he has taken significant steps to wind down his practice, including referring his remaining caseload to other lawyers where possible and withdrawing from all other cases. Healy asks that this Court accept his petition in lieu of discipline for the alleged disciplinary infractions now pending in the State Bar. See In the Matter of Rand, 279 Ga. 555, 556 (616 SE2d 452) (2005) (implying Special Master authorized to choose whether to make a recommendation based on disciplinary violations or Rule 4-104). Healy promises that, if the Court accepts his petition, he will not seek reinstatement, even if he ultimately recovers from his diagnosed conditions. Healy further agrees and acknowledges that, should he renege on his promise not to seek reinstatement, he could be prosecuted for the violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct alleged in the currently pending grievances, and charged with a new violation of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct based on his action of seeking reinstatement in violation of his promise. The State Bar has responded to Healy’s petition and consents to the treatment requested therein. This Court has reviewed the record in this case and finds that Healy has admitted the existence of sufficient grounds for his permanent removal from the practice of law under Bar Rule 4-104. Accordingly, this Court accepts Healy’s petition for voluntary surrender of license, which is tantamount to disbarment. See Georgia Rule of Professional Conduct, 1.0 (r). Accordingly, the name of Timothy Paul Healy is hereby removed from the rolls of persons entitled to practice law in the State of Georgia. Healy is reminded of his duties under Bar Rule 4-219 (b). Voluntary surrender of license accepted. All the Justices concur. DECIDED MAY 4, 2020. Voluntary surrender of license. Cathey & Strain, Dennis T. Cathey, for Healy. Paula J. Frederick, General Counsel State Bar, William D. NeSmith III, Deputy General Counsel State Bar, Jenny K. Mittelman, James S. Lewis, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the opinion above and is not part of the court's opinion. Quote the opinion, not the summary. The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a longtime attorney's request to give up his law license rather than face discipline for numerous ethics complaints, a step the court treats as equivalent to disbarment. ### Plain-language summary Timothy Paul Healy, a Georgia lawyer since 1979, faced numerous grievances alleging violations of the state's rules for lawyers, many serious enough to warrant disbarment. Rather than contest each grievance, Healy got an alcohol and drug evaluation and later treatment, and healthcare providers found that his condition would impair his ability to practice law and put the public at risk. Healy asked the Supreme Court of Georgia to let him voluntarily surrender his law license instead of going through the disciplinary process, promising never to seek reinstatement even if he recovers. The State Bar of Georgia agreed to this arrangement, and Healy wound down his practice by referring or withdrawing from his cases. The court reviewed the sealed record, found Healy had effectively admitted enough wrongdoing to justify permanent removal, and accepted his surrender, striking his name from the rolls of Georgia lawyers. ### Holding, as summarized The court held that Healy had admitted sufficient grounds for permanent removal from law practice under Bar Rule 4-104, and because the State Bar consented and the sealed record supported it, his voluntary surrender of license was accepted as equivalent to disbarment. ### Disposition Voluntary surrender of license accepted, tantamount to disbarment. All the Justices concur. ### Why it matters The decision permanently ends Healy's law practice and removes him from representing Georgia clients, protecting the public from someone the Bar found posed a risk. It also shows how Georgia lawyers facing health-related impairment can resolve serious ethics complaints by surrendering their license instead of fighting each charge. > The summarized reasoning, checked quotes, suggested questions, and the CourtListener opinion records (1,545 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/opinions/S20Y1015.md?full=1