WILLIAM MORRIS SAWYER V. KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION
Annotate this Case
Download PDF
TO BE PUBLISHED
'~$Uyrrmr C-Ourf of
2007-SC-000297-KB
WILLIAM MORRIS SAWYER
V.
IN SUPREME COURT
KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION
RESPONDENT
OPINION AND ORDER
Pursuant to SCR 3.480(3), William Morris Sawyer, KBA Member No. 61685,
moves this Court to suspend his license to practice law in Kentucky for a period of three
years, effective from January 3, 2004, the date he was temporarily suspended after
pleading guilty to a Class D felony . Sawyer was admitted to practice law in this
Commonwealth on September 1, 1972. His bar roster address is 917 College Street,
Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101 .
On January 2, 2004, Movant pled guilty to first degree possession of a controlled
substance (cocaine), possession of a prescription not in the original container and
possession of drug paraphernalia . As a result, he was automatically temporarily
suspended by virtue of SCR 3.166. Pursuant to Movant's plea agreement in 2004, he
was granted pretrial diversion for five years . He was granted an early release by the
Court on August 18, 2006, and is not currently under any probation . His felony case
was diverted and dismissed.
The Inquiry Commission charged Movant with one count of violating SCR 3.1308.3(b) which prohibits a lawyer from committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on
his honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects . Movant admits that
his felonious acts violated the rule and requests a three-year suspension, retroactive to
the date of his temporary suspension . The KBA concluded that this was the appropriate
discipline and agrees that the suspension should be retroactive . Movant has taken
responsibility for the violations . He did not harm a client in connection with his criminal
act, and he has remained compliant with his Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program
(KYLAP) supervision agreement .
We accept the recommendation of the KBA and grant Sawyer's motion .
Upon the foregoing, it is ordered that:
(1) William Morris Sawyer is hereby suspended from the practice of law in the
Commonwealth of Kentucky for a period of three years, effective January 3, 2004.
(2) In accordance with SCR 3.450, Sawyer is ordered to pay all costs associated
with these disciplinary proceedings, said sum being $35 .88 and for which execution
may issue from this Court upon finality of this Opinion and Order.
All sitting . All concur.
ENTERED: June 21, 2007.
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
