ROANE COUNTY, TN - On October 28, 2025, Dana C. Hansen Chavis, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee, received a Public Censure from the Supreme Court of Tennessee and was ordered to pay the costs and fees of the Board of Professional Responsibility.

While employed as a federal public defender with the Federal Defender Services of East Tennessee, Ms. Chavis was assigned to appear pro hac vice in a Virginia matter in order to represent a death row defendant in a post-conviction appellate matter. During these federal proceedings, Ms. Chavis failed to make reasonably diligent efforts to comply with a legally proper discovery request by an opposing party, and thereby negligently failed to disclose and produce material evidence responsive to a discovery request.

Ms. Chavis executed a conditional guilty plea acknowledging her conduct violated Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct 3.4(e) (fairness to opposing party or counsel).

A Public Censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.