On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney Charles Bruce Singleton, Jr., for violating multiple rules of professional conduct. The disbarment stems from three separate client matters where Singleton demonstrated a pattern of neglect, failure to communicate, and misappropriation of client funds.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Charles Bruce Singleton, Jr.,” with case number S26Y0233.
The State Disciplinary Review Board initially reviewed the case following a report and recommendation from Special Master Chong J. Kim. The board agreed that Singleton violated Rules 1.2(a), 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.15(I)(a), 1.16(d), 3.5(d), and 8.4(a)(4) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.
The court’s decision highlighted three specific dockets outlining Singleton’s misconduct. In one instance, Singleton was hired in November 2020 to probate a client’s mother’s will, receiving an initial payment of $1,000. However, he failed to take necessary steps to open the estate, such as filing heir notifications, and neglected to respond to the client’s inquiries. The client eventually terminated the representation and requested a refund of the unearned fee, which Singleton also failed to provide.
In another case from August 2020, Singleton was retained to represent a client in a dispute with a bank over an outstanding credit card balance. He failed to file a timely answer to the complaint, leading to a default judgment against the client for over $12,000. Although a settlement agreement was negotiated, Singleton did not inform his client of the terms, and a lien was placed on her home due to missed payments.
The most egregious of Singleton’s actions involved a personal injury settlement for a minor. After receiving $35,388.83 in settlement funds in 2021, Singleton failed to release the funds to the minor’s conservator despite multiple requests and court orders. This led to a contempt of court finding, and Singleton was briefly incarcerated. As of April 2025, he had only made partial payments towards the full amount owed.
The Special Master’s report applied the ABA Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, considering factors such as the duties violated, the lawyer’s mental state, the potential injury caused, and aggravating or mitigating factors. Singleton was found to have violated duties of diligence, communication, and performance. His actions were deemed knowing rather than inadvertent, and he was found to have converted the minor’s settlement funds for personal use.
The Special Master identified several aggravating factors, including a prior disciplinary offense, a dishonest motive, a pattern of misconduct, multiple offenses, vulnerable victims, substantial experience in law, and indifference to making restitution. Mitigating factors included personal and emotional problems and remorse.
Ultimately, both the Special Master and the Review Board recommended disbarment, citing the severity of Singleton’s misconduct, particularly in the case involving the minor’s settlement funds. The Supreme Court of Georgia agreed, ordering Singleton’s name to be removed from the list of authorized legal practitioners in the state.
According to Avvo, Mr. Singleton was a family lawyer in Conyers, GA. He acquired his law license in Georgia in 1996.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
