The Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court publicly censured local attorney James W. Clements, according to a news release from board.
The censure was issued Monday.
According to the board, Clements met with a client in April 2009 to talk about a possible claim against a nursing home for neglect of the client's relative in the previous year.
Clements represented to the client that he would forward medical records to experts in Georgia and contact his client when he received the expert's medical evaluation, the news release states.
Over a period of 31 months, Clements did not take steps to have those records reviewed promptly; did not monitor the records' review; did not inform the client about statute of limitations issues; did not respond to phone calls from the client; and withheld information from the client, the news release states.
The board said Clements violated rules of professional conduct.
A public censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney's ability to practice law.