“Dishonorable Deborah”

The Louisiana Supreme Court has imposed a reciprocal one-year suspension based on a Mississippi sanction for misconduct in a child custody matter.

In 2021, respondent was hired to represent the mother of a minor in a child custody proceeding in the Chancery Court of Lamar County, Mississippi. Attorney Erik Shawn Lowery served as opposing counsel. Chancellor Deborah Gambrell, who presided over the case, ruled against respondent’s client in the custody proceeding. However, the ruling was reversed on appeal. The Supreme Court of Mississippi granted certiorari to consider the case, but later withdrew the writ that was granted.

Before a mandate was issued by the Supreme Court of Mississippi, respondent advised her client to withdraw the child that was the subject of the custody proceeding from the school where she was enrolled and enroll her in another school district. After the mandate was issued, Mr. Lowery scheduled another hearing in the matter with Judge Gambrell. Although she never formally withdrew from the case, respondent refused to attend the hearing, and she undertook no action in furtherance of the representation of her client following the issuance of the mandate.

During the course of the proceedings following the issuance of the mandate, respondent sent emails making disparaging remarks about Chancellor Gambrell.  She also threatened to file, and ultimately did file, a complaint against Chancellor Gambrell with the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance, all in an effort to have Chancellor Gambrell recuse herself from the case. Due to the statements made concerning her by respondent, Chancellor Gambrell recused herself from the case.

In 2022, Mr. Lowery filed a disciplinary complaint against respondent. Respondent refused to cooperate with the Mississippi Bar in the investigation of the complaint.

The remarks

Respondent referred to Chancellor Gambrell as “a mass murderer,” “Hurricane Deborah,” and “Dishonorable Deborah Gambrell.”

Chancellor Gambrell was recently recognized with a Judicial Excellence Award, a Kindness in Action award and was honored at a Black History Month banquet in 2011.  (Mike Frisch)