Pro-Trump Attorney Lin Wood Could Lose License As Georgia Bar Asks For Mental Health Evaluation - Forbes

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Topline

The Georgia State Bar is moving forward with proceedings against attorney L. Lin Wood that could result in him losing his legal license due to “mental illness” or “cognitive impairment,” an official confirmed to Forbes Friday, as the far-right lawyer faces consequences for pushing conspiracy theories and alleging election fraud in a post-election attempt to overturn President Joe Biden’s win.

Key Facts

Wood has been aligned with the Trump administration and was behind multiple unsuccessful lawsuits attempting to overturn the election results, including cases with far-right attorney Sidney Powell.

Twitter permanently banned Wood and the White House distanced themselves from him after he spread baseless conspiracy theories online, including about the siege on the U.S. Capitol building, now-former Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

The state bar “is proceeding with an inquiry pursuant to Bar Rule 4-104” against Wood, Chief Operating Officer Sarah I. Coole told Forbes in an email, confirming news first reported by Reuters.

That rule says “mental illness, cognitive impairment, alcohol abuse, or substance abuse, to the extent of impairing competency as a lawyer” are grounds for revoking an attorney’s license to practice law.

The rule stipulates the bar’s board may refer the matter to a mental health professional and conduct a mental health evaluation, and Wood said on Telegram Thursday night the organization told him they “would demand a mental health exam from me if I wanted to keep my law license.”

If the bar does formally request an examination, Wood said on Telegram Friday he “will respectfully decline to do so” because he is “of sound mind” and does not believe he’s violated any rules, adding he will “litigate the issue if necessary.”

What To Watch For

If Wood does refuse the request for a mental health evaluation, that “may be grounds for further proceedings...including emergency suspension proceedings,” the bar rules stipulate.

Tangent

Legal outlet Law & Crime notes concerns about Wood’s mental health were previously brought up before the election during legal proceedings earlier in 2020. His former law partners alleged that Wood threatened to take his own life and physically attacked their clients, with Wood’s counsel saying the lawyer had gone into an “emotional tailspin.”

Key Background

The Georgia Bar’s proceedings are the latest consequence Wood has faced for his post-election actions. The attorney has been removed from a separate case in Delaware where he represented former Trump advisor Carter Page over his “toxic” post-election litigation. Nicholas Sandmann, an 18-year-old from Covington Catholic High School who gained attention for his viral standoff with a Native American elder, also fired Wood as his attorney on Tuesday. MSNBC host Joy Reid has asked a New York federal court to remove Wood from a defamation case against her, and Mercer Law School is facing pressure to remove Wood’s name from a courtroom at the school. Dominion Voting Systems, which has already filed two $1.3 billion lawsuits against attorneys Powell and Rudy Giuliani, has suggested it may pursue litigation against Wood for spreading baseless election fraud claims involving the company’s voting machines, though nothing has yet been filed.