On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended attorney Christopher Tyson from practicing law for two years due to violations of professional conduct rules. This decision follows Tyson’s petition for voluntary discipline, submitted after the court had previously rejected an earlier petition for a six-month suspension.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Christopher Tyson,” with case no. S25Y0162.
Tyson admitted to multiple violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. Specifically, he acknowledged breaches of Rules 1.15 (I) (a), (b), (c), and (II) (b), which pertain to the handling of client funds. The maximum penalty for such violations is disbarment; however, Tyson sought a suspension of one to two years, contingent upon his restitution of $872.53 in attorney fees to a former client.
The case centers on Tyson’s representation of a client involved in a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a vehicle accident in December 2018. Tyson settled the case in November 2020 for $6,300. Upon receiving the settlement check, he deposited the funds into his Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) account but failed to notify a chiropractor who had a lien on the settlement. Tyson also neglected to promptly distribute the owed funds to the client and the chiropractor and misused client funds for personal expenses.
In his previous petition, known as Tyson I, the court rejected Tyson’s request for a six-month suspension, citing his failure to demonstrate complete restitution to all involved parties. At that time, the court noted that even if complete restitution had been made, a six-month suspension would be too lenient given the circumstances and Tyson’s prior disciplinary history, which included a reprimand in 2013 for violations of Rules 1.1 and 1.16 (d).
In the current proceedings, Tyson revealed that of the $6,300 settlement, he paid $1,227.47 to satisfy the ERISA lien, $2,100 to the client, and another $2,100 to the chiropractor. He admitted to taking the remaining $872.53 as attorney fees for himself. The chiropractor has since confirmed satisfaction with the payment received.
In light of these admissions, Tyson presented several mitigating factors to support his request for a reduced suspension. He highlighted that he has made partial restitution to the client and full restitution to the chiropractor, cooperated fully with the disciplinary proceedings, expressed remorse for his actions, and noted that his previous disciplinary issues were unrelated and occurred several years ago.
The State Bar of Georgia supported Tyson’s petition for a two-year suspension, acknowledging his admissions and the mitigating circumstances. The court, after reviewing the details of the case, determined that a two-year suspension was appropriate, aligning with sanctions imposed in similar cases of client fund misuse.
As part of the suspension order, Tyson must pay the restitution of $872.53 to his former client and fulfill the requirements outlined in Bar Rule 1-501 (b) to lift his administrative suspension before he can be reinstated to practice law.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Tyson is a personal injury attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. He acquired his law license in Georgia in 2005.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
