Jared Thomas: Disbarred Lawyer Charged for Client Fees, Faked Legal Work

• Jared Thomas, a 41-year-old disbarred Indiana attorney, was arrested on October 25 on charges including forgery, fraud, and practicing law as a nonlawyer.
• He is accused of taking $950 from a client for criminal record expungement but failing to perform the work or file necessary documents.
• Thomas claimed a paralegal with access to his computers was responsible for filing fake documents.
• The Indiana Supreme Court disbarred him in 2022 for mismanaging a trust account, forging a judge's signature, and falsifying a document.
• His disbarment followed a 2021 arrest for check deception, which resulted in a probation sentence.

The case of Jared Thomas, a disbarred lawyer allegedly collecting client fees and faking legal performance, carries significant implications for public trust in the legal profession and the protection of vulnerable individuals.

Jared Thomas, a 41-year-old resident of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on October 25. The arrest follows accusations that the disbarred lawyer allegedly collected client fees while falsely representing that he was performing legal work on their behalf. Authorities have charged Thomas with multiple offenses, including forgery, fraud, and the unauthorized practice of law by a nonlawyer.

The specific incident leading to these new charges involved a client who had retained Thomas for the purpose of expunging her criminal record. Police investigations revealed that Thomas allegedly accepted $950 from this individual, yet subsequently failed to file the necessary paperwork as promised. When confronted by law enforcement regarding these claims, Thomas reportedly asserted that a paralegal, who had access to his computer systems, was responsible for generating and filing fraudulent documents.

These recent developments highlight a pattern of alleged misconduct by Thomas, who was previously a practicing attorney in Indiana. The charges underscore the serious nature of misrepresenting legal services, particularly when the individual is no longer authorized to practice law.

The current charges against Jared Thomas are not his first encounter with the legal system or professional disciplinary actions. In 2022, the Indiana Supreme Court officially disbarred him, permanently revoking his license to practice law within the state. This severe disciplinary action stemmed from a series of grave professional violations.

Among the findings by the Indiana Supreme Court were that Thomas had mismanaged a client trust account, a critical responsibility for any attorney handling client funds. Furthermore, he was found to have forged a judge's signature and falsified a legal document, actions that represent a profound breach of ethical conduct and legal integrity. These findings ultimately led to his disbarment.

Prior to his disbarment, Thomas also faced criminal charges. In 2021, he was arrested on a check deception charge, for which he was subsequently sentenced to probation. This earlier conviction, combined with the serious ethical breaches identified by the state's highest court, established a clear record of professional and legal misconduct before the current allegations surfaced.

The case of Jared Thomas, a disbarred lawyer allegedly collecting client fees and faking legal performance, carries significant implications for public trust in the legal profession and the protection of vulnerable individuals. When a person seeks legal assistance, they place immense trust in their attorney to act ethically and competently. The alleged actions by Thomas represent a profound betrayal of that trust, especially given his prior disbarment.

For a disbarred individual to continue to practice law, even in a deceptive manner, undermines the regulatory mechanisms designed to protect the public from unqualified or unethical practitioners. The charges of forgery and fraud, alongside the unauthorized practice of law, demonstrate the serious legal consequences for such actions. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of verifying an attorney's credentials and standing, particularly when dealing with sensitive legal matters like criminal record expungement.

The alleged collection of $950 for work that was never performed, coupled with the fabrication of documents, highlights the potential financial and legal harm that can be inflicted upon unsuspecting clients. The legal system relies on integrity, and any instance where a disbarred lawyer allegedly collected client fees and faking performing work directly challenges the foundational principles of justice and professional responsibility.

Source: Original reporting via WFIE coverage