The integrity of the legal profession is anchored in the honesty of its practitioners before the court. When an attorney orchestrates a scheme to deceive the judiciary through perjury and forgery, the professional consequences are absolute. For Nashville-based attorney Robert Allen Doll III (BPR No. 022764), a series of felony convictions involving the manipulation of a client has resulted in permanent disbarment.
Effective June 20, 2024, the Supreme Court of Tennessee issued a unanimous opinion upholding the decision to permanently remove Doll from the roll of attorneys.
The Core Misconduct: Orchestrating Perjury
The downfall of Robert Allen Doll III originated from his representation of a client in a high-stakes post-divorce proceeding in 2013. The Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) and the criminal courts found that Doll engaged in a systematic effort to deceive the court:
1. Forgery and Criminal Simulation
Doll was found to have forged his client’s signature on an emergency petition to restrict her ex-husband’s parenting time. He then had the signature notarized by another attorney in his office, falsely representing that the client had signed it in person.
2. Subornation of Aggravated Perjury
When the validity of the signature was questioned by a judge, Doll allegedly pressured his client to lie under oath.
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The Deception: Doll instructed the client to tell the court she had signed the document in his office, even though she was at work at the time.
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The Result: The client followed his instructions and was subsequently indicted on two counts of aggravated perjury. Doll was convicted of two counts of subornation of aggravated perjury and one count of criminal simulation.
A Decisive Judicial Ruling
Doll appealed his disbarment, arguing that the punishment was disproportionate compared to other disciplinary cases. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court rejected these arguments in a significant ruling:
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No Mitigation for Felony Conduct: The Court held that Doll’s conduct “cut through the very heart of the judicial system” and that no comparable case warranted a lighter sanction than disbarment.
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Aggravating Factors: The Court noted Doll’s substantial experience in the law (licensed since 2003) and a history of prior discipline, including a Public Censure in 2014 and a 90-day suspension in 2018 for unrelated neglect.
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Finality of Disbarment: The June 2024 ruling finalized a “Permanent Disbarment.” In Tennessee, this status terminates an individual’s career as a lawyer for life, with no path to reinstatement.
Professional Background and Costs
Prior to his disbarment, Robert Allen Doll III operated out of Nashville, focusing on family law, probate, and estate planning. He was an alumnus of the University of North Dakota School of Law.
The Supreme Court Opinion also mandated that Doll pay all court costs and the expenses incurred by the BPR during the investigation. He was ordered to comply with Rule 9, Section 28, which outlines the strict requirements for disbarred attorneys to notify their clients and wind down their practice.
Conclusion: Upholding the Sanctity of the Court
The permanent disbarment of Robert Allen Doll III serves as a stark warning: an attorney’s duty to the truth supersedes their desire to win a case or cover up a mistake. By holding Doll accountable for suborning perjury, the Tennessee judiciary reinforces the public’s trust that the legal system cannot be manipulated by those meant to serve it. For clients needing to check an attorney’s history, the Tennessee BPR Search remains the definitive source for current standing.
