Benton County attorney disbarred

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Benton County attorney has been disbarred after failing to handle an urgent child custody petition quickly, according to a news release.

Alan G. Ward was disbarred Friday and must pay restitution to a client after allegations regarding two criminal cases and complaints about communication in a child custody case.

The release says Ward failed to handle an urgent custody agreement quickly, failed to communicate with the guardian of the child, and caused signatures on a pleading to be falsely dated.

After the clients fired Ward, the release says he did not promptly return their files and did not refund a his unearned fee.

In an unrelated matter, the release says Ward represented two indigent defendants in a Criminal Court of Appeals case, but he failed to file a brief on their behalf and failed to respond to orders by the Criminal Court of Appeals.

Ward later abandoned representation of his clients, the release says.

Ward must pay the court costs and expenses of the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility within 90 days of the order of enforcement being filed.