Cleveland, Tenn., attorney John O. Fortuno was publicly censured Tuesday by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court, a news release from the court's Board of Professional Responsibility states.
The board filed a petition for discipline against Fortuno in Aug. 22, 2016, alleging he committed ethical misconduct by exchanging inappropriate text messages with a client he was appointed to represent, creating a potential conflict of interest.
He entered a conditional guilty plea admitting his actions violated rules of professional conduct involving conflicts of interest and misconduct.
A public censure is a rebuke and a warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney's ability to practice law.