On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Virginia State Bar publicly reprimanded attorney Robert Ryan Feagans, Jr. for professional misconduct relating to his representation of a client in a criminal appeal. The Ninth District Subcommittee, which oversees disciplinary matters, concluded that Feagans had violated several provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Robert Ryan Feagans, Jr.,” with case no. 24-090-131946.
The charges cited Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, and 1.4(a)(b).
The reprimand came after an investigation into Feagans’ management of the case involving Kevin Ray Romine, whom the Lynchburg Circuit Court designated him to represent during sentencing and the following appeals. The Subcommittee’s findings indicated that Feagans had failed to maintain adequate communication with Romine, leading to significant procedural errors in his appeal process. On May 31, 2023, Feagans met with Romine briefly at the jail before the sentencing hearing but did not have further communication with him.
Following the sentencing, Feagans filed a notice of appeal with the Court of Appeals of Virginia on June 13, 2023. However, he did not discuss the appeal with Romine in any substantive manner prior to filing. On August 28, 2023, he submitted two Assignments of Error to the Court of Appeals without consulting Romine about their contents. Similarly, he filed an Opening Brief on October 20, 2023, without prior communication with Romine, nor did he provide him a copy of this document.
On November 21, 2023, Romine reached out to the Court of Appeals, expressing concern about the lack of communication from his attorney. He stated in his letter that he had had no contact with Feagans aside from their brief consultation on the day of his sentencing. Romine’s appeal was ultimately dismissed by the Court of Appeals on December 29, 2023, primarily due to procedural errors attributed to Feagans. The court noted that the Opening Brief did not adhere to the required rules and lacked the necessary legal support for the claims made.
Feagans did not inform Romine of the dismissal of his appeal, nor did he provide him with a copy of the court’s order. When questioned by a Virginia State Bar investigator, Feagans explained that he believed the appeal was “meritless,” which influenced his decision not to communicate further with Romine about the case. Furthermore, he failed to advise Romine on other appellate options or post-conviction remedies that could have been available following the dismissal of the appeal.
In April 2024, Romine filed a complaint against Feagans with the Virginia State Bar, citing inadequate representation and a lack of communication regarding the status of his appeal. The investigation into the complaint led to the Subcommittee’s determination that Feagans had indeed violated the Rules of Professional Conduct, specifically regarding competence, diligence, and communication.
As a result of these findings, the Ninth District Subcommittee formally issued a Public Reprimand without terms against Feagans. This reprimand serves as a disciplinary measure aimed at addressing the shortcomings in his representation of Romine and reinforcing the importance of communication and diligence in legal practice.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Feagans Jr. is an adoption attorney in Forest, Virginia. He attended the George Mason University School of Law. He acquired his law license in Virginia in 1980.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
