Miss. court agrees to suspension of lawyer’s license

Local News

May 24, 2008

Anonymous Picayune Item Sat May 24, 2008, 10:40 PM CDT

JACKSON — The Mississippi Supreme Court has agreed to an indefinite suspension of Robert Arledge’s license to practice law while the Vicksburg attorney appeals a 2007 conviction on charges related to false diet drug settlement claims in Mississippi.

Arledge was convicted in federal court of seven counts of conspiracy and wire fraud in a scam bilking the drug company Wyeth out of more than $6.7 million. He was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison.

Arledge had been charged with knowingly allowing clients to make Fen-Phen claims of about $250,000 each even though they had no legitimate reason.

Fen-Phen was a prescription diet drug pulled from the market in 1997 after research revealed it could cause heart problems.

Arledge did not oppose the suspension, according to court records.

In other cases involving attorneys, the Supreme Court on Thursday:

— Dismissed Azki Shah’s request for reinstatement to the practice of law. Shah was suspended in 2007 by the Supreme Court for three years.

It was the seventh time in less than eight years that Shah has been accused of misconduct. Shah had previously had his license suspended on two occasions, once for two years and again for six months. Shah had received three private reprimands and one informal admonition.

In the most recent incident, Shah was suspended for failing to file a complaint on behalf of a client and follow up with that client on the status of the complaint.

Presiding Justice Bill Waller Jr. said Shah’s petition was premature. He said Shah must wait until April 19, 2010 to file for reinstatement.

— Dismissed Gerald Baldwin Jr.’s request to be reinstated to the practice of law. The court said he could not ask again.

Baldwin was disbarred in 1999 after he pleaded guilty in Hinds County to possession of cocaine. Baldwin was sentenced to one year in prison and was fined $3,000.

In 2003, Baldwin’s petition for reinstatement was denied because Baldwin had not provided evidence of his rehabilitation, including the completion of drug treatment.

Justice Mike Randolph, writing for the court, said in his most recent request, Baldwin still did not show that he passed the Bar exam and a professional responsibility exam.

Randolph said Baldwin also provided no evidence that he had complied with the court’s rules of reinstatement.

— Denied the reinstatement petition of Robbie K. Asher, whose law practice in Hancock County had earlier been suspended by the court.

According to the court record, Asher allegedly forged the name of the county clerk and court stamp on a document that was never filed with the court. He was suspended from law practice for 18 months and again for 60 days for failing to follow requirements of the first suspension, according to the court record.

The Supreme Court had turned down two previous reinstatement requests, the latest in 1999.

Justice Randolph said the little evidence that Asher has provided about community service and moral character was inadequate considering his violations.

Randolph said Asher had also exhibited contemptuous behavior by failing to timely comply with sanctions earlier imposed upon him by the court.

Text Only

Local News

POLICE MEMORIAL
City employees were out at the Picayune Police Department memorial Thursday morning doing some upgrades to it.

May 25, 2012 1 Photo
ACCIDENT ACCIDENT — Emergency personnel responded to this accident Thursday morning on South Haugh Avenue.
May 25, 2012 1 Photo
Supervisors support sales tax proposal
The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors unanimously supports District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales proposal for a 1-percent county sales tax.
Hales had outlined his proposal at two earlier meetings of the board of supervisors and the other four members voiced their support for the idea at Wednesday’s meeting.

May 25, 2012
Lawrence sentenced to 57 months for child porn
Picayune native Clifford Lawrence has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for possession of child pornography.

May 25, 2012
WORK UNDERWAY WORK UNDERWAY — Foundation work on Nicholson Elementary’s multi-purpose building is underway. The building is expected to be complete by spring of next year and will provide the surrounding community with a place to hold events.
May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Washing Water Tower
WASHING WATER TOWER — These workers were spray-cleaning the water tower at Pearl River Community College at Poplarville last week.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
New, old law makers tout legislative successes
Four state law makers held a legislative review for members of the Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce at the newly opened Southern Char restaurant Tuesday night to share with business owners information about new bills and laws that have been passed.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
School board approves step raises
Picayune teachers and other staff members should receive step pay increases next year, following some debate on the matter during Tuesday’s meeting of the Picayune Municipal Separate School District.

May 23, 2012
PRC GRADUATION
PRC GRADUATION — At left, Pearl River Central High School Valedictorian Layton Spiers addresses the PRC Senior Class of 2012. At right, PRC Salutatorian Hayden Skantz addresses the graduating class. PRC High School held its graduation exercises Monday night in the school’s football stadium.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
PMHS GRADUATION SPEAKERS
PMHS GRADUATION SPEAKERS — From left valedictorian Jared Christopher Bates and salutatorian Bryce Austin Warden will lead Picayune Memorial High School’s graduation ceremonies at 7 p.m. Thursday at the football stadium.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Miss. court agrees to suspension of lawyer’s license

Site Map

Contact Us