On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board Hearing Committee #1 filed with the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board its Report dated September 14, 2022, relating to the charges for attorney discipline against Baton Rouge lawyer Todd Michael Tyson for misconduct.
The case is titled, In Re: Todd Michael Tyson, Case #22-DB-017.
The charges cited Labadie’s violation of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct specifically Rule 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(f), 8.1(c), and 8.4(a) & (c), which state:
A summary of the formal charges goes:
On July 14, 2021, the Respondent was hired by Ms. Macedo to secure a bond reduction and represent her boyfriend Richard Briggs for criminal charges in Livingston Parish. Ms. Macedo paid him a fee of $1,500 as well as an additional $1,500 earmarked for the purpose of paying the bail bond company upon securing a successful reduction of bail. Respondent misled Ms. Macedo into believing that he will secure a significant reduction in Briggs’ bond. Several weeks have passed and Mr. Briggs remained incarcerated. Respondent provided no service to secure a bond reduction. On August 2021, it was discovered that the bond was significantly reduced to $27,500 without any effort or legal assistance from the Respondent.
Thereafter, Briggs was able to bond out without the effort of the Respondent. The fund entrusted to Respondent has never been utilized for the payment of the bond. Ms. Macedo requested the Respondent to return all the funds given to him, both the attorney’s fee and the fund earmarked for the bond payment. Respondent represented to Ms. Macedo that he would return the money, but there is no evidence that he has ever done so.
According to the filing:
“The Respondent’s conduct falls well below his ethical obligations set forth in the Rules of Professional Conduct. He lacked appropriate diligence in violation of Rule 1.3, he failed to safeguard the funds entrusted to him, he has failed to refund the unearned fee as well as the advanced cost deposit in violation of Rule 1.5(f); by continuing to exercise dominion and control over the funds entrusted to him, he has effectively converted those funds to hs own use in violation of Rule 8.4(c) and his conduct involves dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation; he has ignored this complaint and has refused to provide any response whatsoever to the concerns of the complainant in violation of his obligation to cooperate under Rule 8.1(c); and he has violated or attempted to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct in violation of Rule 8.4(a).”
Respondent did not submit evidence or argument for the Committee’s consideration, nor did he request to be heard in mitigation pursuant to Rule XIX § 11 (E)(4).
On June 22, 2022, an Order was signed on this matter, wherein all factual allegations contained in the formal charges were deemed admitted and acknowledged by the Committee due to the Respondent’s failure to cooperate in the process.
The Committee, in its Conclusion, recommended for Respondent’s suspension from the practice of law for a period of one year and one day, with no time deferred, and that Respondent be assessed the costs and expenses of the proceeding pursuant to Rule XIX, §10.1.
According to LinkedIn, Mr. Tyson is a practicing lawyer at Todd M. Tyson and Associates and the Assistant Public Defender of East Baton Rouge Office of the Public Defender. He attended Southern University Law School. Tyson practices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has been licensed in Louisiana but according to the filing is suspended.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
