On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the Supreme Court of Kentucky denied the Office of Bar Counsel’s motion for the indefinite suspension of attorney John Nathaniel Miller. The court’s decision comes after Miller faced allegations related to his representation of a client.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of John Nathaniel Miller,” with case no. 2024-SC-0395-KB.

According to the filing, Michael Thomas Bauer retained Miller for $5,000 in a DUI case on August 31, 2023. However, Bauer terminated Miller’s services just two weeks later, citing inadequate performance and requesting the return of his retainer. To date, Miller has not refunded the amount.

The case escalated when a bar complaint was filed against Miller in October 2023. Although he acknowledged receiving the complaint in February 2024, he did not respond to the investigation or cooperate with the Office of Bar Counsel. Miller later claimed that he had been transient due to personal issues, including a divorce and a substance abuse disorder, which contributed to his lack of response.

Miller has indicated that he has since moved in with his father, who is battling cancer, and has engaged with the Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program (KYLAP) to address his substance abuse issues. He reported that he is currently seeking employment and taking steps to repay the owed retainer to Bauer.

In addition to the current complaint, Miller faces four other pending complaints related to similar issues of failing to refund clients. In his response to the court, he accepted responsibility for the funds owed and expressed his intention to resolve these matters promptly.

The Supreme Court acknowledged Miller’s difficult personal circumstances but emphasized that indefinite suspension would not contribute positively to the goals of maintaining professional integrity. Instead, the court opted to assist Miller by ordering KYLAP to support the Office of Bar Counsel in ongoing investigations.

The Disposition states:

“We, therefore, DENY the motion for indefinite suspension. Pursuant to SCR 3.980(1), we ORDER KYLAP to aid and assist the Office of Bar Counsel in its investigations of John Nathaniel Miller according to SCR 3.980(3).”

According to the filing, Mr. Miller acquired his law license in Kentucky in 2003.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.