On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that former Georgia legislator and appeals court judge Christian Coomer had his law license suspended for a period of two years. This decision follows his removal from the bench 15 months prior, stemming from serious ethical violations, including the exploitation of an elderly client and the misuse of campaign funds.
Coomer’s suspension, ordered by the Georgia Supreme Court, prohibits him from practicing law until August 16, 2025. In a statement, Coomer expressed gratitude to the court for the opportunity to return to legal practice after his suspension and thanked those who supported him during this challenging time. He acknowledged his past mistakes and committed to personal improvement, stating his intention to engage in volunteer work and community service during his suspension.
The suspension was a result of Coomer’s admission to violating the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. He requested the suspension as part of the disciplinary proceedings initiated by the State Bar of Georgia. A special master recommended the two-year suspension, which the Supreme Court retroactively applied to begin on the day his judgeship was terminated, August 16, 2023.
In its ruling, the court noted that the evidence supported Coomer’s admitted violations and that the proposed suspension aligned with penalties previously imposed for similar misconduct. Coomer’s legal career began in 1999, and he served in the Georgia House of Representatives for eight years before being appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2018.
Coomer’s troubles began with allegations of misusing campaign funds while serving as both a state lawmaker and judge. In December 2021, while already suspended from the Court of Appeals, he settled with the state ethics commission for $25,000 over accusations that he violated campaign finance laws. These violations included using campaign contributions to support his private law practice and financing personal trips to locations such as Hawaii and Israel.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) found that Coomer’s removal from the bench was justified due to his mishandling of campaign resources and his unethical conduct as an attorney for an elderly client, James Filhart. The commission determined that Coomer had taken advantage of Filhart, particularly by positioning himself and his wife as beneficiaries of the client’s will.
During a trial in October 2022, Coomer admitted that his actions regarding Filhart’s will were in violation of state professional conduct rules. He acknowledged that it was inappropriate to make himself a beneficiary of a will he drafted for Filhart in 2018, shortly before his judicial appointment. Filhart, who was 80 at the time of the trial, had first engaged Coomer as his attorney in 2015. After Coomer’s appointment as a judge, he drafted another will for Filhart, maintaining his beneficiary status while transferring key responsibilities to his wife.
Coomer maintained that he acted in accordance with Filhart’s wishes when drafting the will and stated that he continued to be a beneficiary until April 2020, when Filhart sued him for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty. That lawsuit was settled for $50,000 within months.
The JQC also revealed that Coomer exerted control over Filhart’s financial accounts after discovering the estate was valued at over $1 million. He had also borrowed $369,000 from Filhart under questionable terms, although he later repaid those loans.
In its ruling on his suspension, the Georgia Supreme Court noted that Coomer took full responsibility for his poor judgment and expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging the impact on his client and others affected by his decisions.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
