Right Hand Slant

A Tennessee attorney has been suspended due to a conviction for the crimes of subornation of aggravated perjury and criminal simulation.

WSMV Franklin reported on the charges

An attorney has been indicted in Williamson County for allegedly filing a fake petition.

Paul Van Burkleo lives in Texas, but in 2013, he found himself in a fight in Williamson County.

“Just after being married to a person for so long, you know somebody’s signature,” he said.

His ex-wife, Denise Van Burkleo, filed a restraining order that would have kept him from seeing their children. But when Paul Van Burkleo saw the paperwork, he said something seemed off.

“You can tell by the slant,” he said. “She writes with a left hand slant. This particular signature was a right hand slant.”

The Channel 4 I-Team obtained notarized oaths bearing the name of Denise Van Burkleo. Both were signed in the officer of her lawyer, Robert A. Doll III.

“If it hadn’t been discovered, I’d be sitting her today without any visitation with my children,” Paul Van Burkleo said.

This summer, a grand jury indicted Doll and his client. Doll is accused of filing the fake oath then “inducing” his client to lie about it on the stand.

Paul Van Burkleo said this is not something an attorney should be doing, even if he wants to win his case.

“That just opens the door for many problems for that attorney,” he said.

Doll has been under scrutiny before. The I-Team found in 2014, he received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility.

Doll was disciplined for issues involving incompetence and diligence. He was also held in contempt.

Channel 4 reached out to Doll on Thursday, but did not hear back by deadline.

Two years later, it is unclear who signed the oath. But according to Paul Van Burkleo, justice will always sift right from wrong.

“You can’t have crooked things happening in the legal system and let people get away with it,” he said.

Judge Mark Fishburn will preside over a hearing in Williamson County Friday. A special judge was appointed after several others recused themselves.

Denise Van Burkleo was charged with aggravated perjury. The I-Team reached out to her and the district attorney, but did not hear back.

Records indicate the notary faces no charges.

(Mike Frisch)