ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An Albany attorney is named in formal complaints by the State Bar of Georgia, alleging probable cause that he committed three separate ethics violations.

WALB has all 145 pages in the three documents filed with the Supreme Court of Georgia, outlining alleged disciplinary violations of Georgia ethical rules of professional conduct by Attorney Joe Durham. Two petitions were filed in November 2024 and another in April 2025.

The first petition, filed on November 15, 2024, alleges Durham sent a letter to a family he was suing for defamation on behalf of his client, who alleges they had they had created a GoFundMe account implying his client had a mental disorder.

The petition states the letter “threatened to publicize scandalous allegations” unless the family paid him $250,000. The petition says the letter stated he had “also filed a Motion to have all of the (family’s) phones and other electronic devices downloaded for the purpose of forensic inspection.” But the petition states Durham had not filed such a motion at that time.

The petition claims Durham falsified two affidavits on behalf of two other clients against the family.

That petition concludes “aggravating factors…that would show the appropriate discipline is disbarment.”

The second petition relates to a viral video that circulated on social media. The petition describes it as showing a confrontation between two men on different boats on Lake Eufaula in March of 2023.

During an argument between the two, one of the men claims to be a professional fisherman.

“You can tell everybody that Ryan Ingram came up on you so you can either leave...”

According to the petition, that is Durham, pretending to be Ryan Ingram. The petition says Durham later posted an apology video online, but also allegedly threatened to initiate legal action against anyone who shared the video.

Durham did file a legal complaint against a man who shared the video but later dropped it.

The petition accuses Durham of “disturbing behavior including profanity and physical threats toward an angler…”

In conclusion the petition states “...the State Bar prays that (Durham) be appropriately disciplined.”

The third petition and the most recent, filed in April 2,2025, pertains to a medical malpractice lawsuit regarding a wrongful death that settled for $1.5 million.

The petition claims Durham “…was ‘kiting’ with that settlement money to pay old obligations, when he should have been holding the other client’s money in trust all along."

WALB did confirm with the Supreme Court of Georgia that these petitions and evidence are still pending and waiting the appointment of a Special Master.

A Special Master is the one who makes a report and recommendation for disciplinary proceedings to the State Supreme Court.

Former Attorney Jo Carol Nesset-Sale served as Special Master in 2024.

Nesset-Sale said, “We better have the objective of keeping the legal system filled with attorneys who have integrity, who have competence, who have the best interest of clients at heart. Because if not and a complaint is made. We will find you, we will gather the evidence to show these violations of rules that you have and we will hold you accountable. Even at times taking the very license that you worked hard to get.”

WALB did receive a statement from Joe Durham’s attorney Lester Tate. It reads in full:

“Joe Durham Junior has been a member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia for over 20 years. During that time he has faithfully and effectively represented his clients and served his community. It costs nothing to file a Bar complaint. Even individuals who have no connection to a lawyer or a case in which the lawyer is involved can file a complaint. That doesn’t mean those complaints have merit or are truthful. Lawyers are frequent targets of such allegations because any case that is tried has a winner and a loser. Fortunately, the State Bar has a process for hearing and deciding complaints. We look forward to defending against those claims in that forum, instead of through news or social media.”

Durham is able to continue practicing law, as the judicial process could take longer than a year.

WALB will continue to follow this process and report updates on air and online.

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