In the Supreme Court of Georgia
Decided: March 5, 2018
S18Y0559. IN THE MATTER OF WALTER LINTON MOORE.
PER CURIAM.
This disciplinary matter is before the Court on a Notice of Discipline
seeking the disbarment of Walter Linton Moore (State Bar No. 693277) based
on grievances filed by six clients. The State Bar served Moore personally, but
he failed to file a Notice of Rejection. Therefore, he is in default, has waived his
right to an evidentiary hearing, and is subject to such discipline and further
proceedings as may be determined by this Court. See Bar Rule 4-208.1 (b).
Moore is currently under interim suspension based on his failure to adequately
respond to a separate Notice of Investigation. See In the Matter of Moore,
S18Y0668 (Jan. 10, 2018). He is also under emergency suspension.1
The facts, as deemed admitted by virtue of Moore’s default, show Moore’s
1
In response to the State Bar’s Petition for Emergency Suspension, Moore filed a Voluntary
Petition for Emergency Suspension, in which he acknowledged impairment and requested suspension
pending resolution of this and another disciplinary proceeding involving grievances filed by other
clients. This Court granted the petition on February 8, 2018. See In the Matter of Moore, S18Y0683
and S18Y0698.
abandonment of six different clients, each of whom had retained Moore to
represent him or her in a domestic relations proceeding. In these proceedings,
Moore failed to pursue the clients’ matters diligently, failed to properly
communicate with the clients, misled the clients, failed to respond to discovery,
failed to appear at scheduled hearings, failed to refund unearned fees, and
abandoned the clients to the clients’ detriment. Additionally, Moore improperly
conditioned the refund of an unearned fee to one client on the client’s dismissal
of the Bar grievance. Finally, in the Fee Arbitration proceedings related to one
client, the fee arbitrators concluded that the evidence showed that Moore was
impaired.
Based on these facts, the Investigative Panel found probable cause to
believe that Moore violated Rules 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.16, 3.2, 8.4 (a) (4),
and 9.2 of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct found in Bar Rule 4-102
(d). The maximum sanction for a violation of Rules 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 8.4 (a) (4), and
9.2 is disbarment, and the maximum sanction for a violation of Rules 1.4, 1.5,
1.16, and 3.2 is a public reprimand.
In aggravation of discipline, the Investigative Panel found that Moore
acted willfully and with a selfish motive; his actions demonstrate a pattern of
misconduct and involve multiple offenses; and he has refused to acknowledge
2
the wrongful nature of his conduct.
Having reviewed the record, we conclude that disbarment is the
appropriate sanction in this matter. See In the Matter of Brown, 294 Ga. 722
(755 SE2d 742) (2014) (disbarment for lawyer’s violation of Rules 1.2, 1.3, 1.4,
1.5, 1.16, 3.2, and 9.3 in connection with abandonment of multiple clients); In
the Matter of Roberts, 288 Ga. 478 (704 SE2d 805) (2011) (disbarment for
lawyer’s multiple violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, and 9.3 in connection with
abandonment of clients). Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that the name of
Walter Linton Moore be removed from the rolls of persons authorized to
practice law in the State of Georgia. Moore is reminded of his duties pursuant
to Bar Rule 4-219 (c).
Disbarred. All the Justices concur.
