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Attorney John David West Jr. [#24029898], 46, of Beaumont, received a public reprimand on December 21, 2020, according to the Texas Bar Journal.

An investigatory panel of the District 3 Grievance Committee found that West failed to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of the matter, failed to comply with reasonable requests for information, failed to refund advance payments of fees that had not been earned, and failed to timely furnish to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel a response or other information as required by the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure.

West did not, in good faith, timely assert a privilege or other legal ground for failure to do so.

West violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.03(a), 1.15(d), and 8.04(a)(8). He was ordered to pay $500 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

The rules are:

1.01(b)(1)—for neglecting a legal matter entrusted to the lawyer.

1.03(a)—for failing to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information.

8.04(a)(8)—A lawyer shall not fail to timely furnish to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel or a district grievance committee a response or other information as required by the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, unless he or she in good faith timely asserts a privilege or other legal ground for failure to do so.