After six years of racking up violations of attorney codes of conduct, a local criminal lawyer tendered his resignation to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Shawn D. Ramsey’s resignation was a response to an extensive list of complaints filed against Ramsey March 27.

The following were filed against Ramsey with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission:

n 15 complaints against Ramsey affecting 19 individuals who he was hired to represent.

n almost $19,000 worth of legal fees paid by those clients, who complain that Ramsey failed them by not appearing in court, refusing refunds or failing to communicate updates of their trials, among other violations.

n 50 violations of Rules of Conduct for Attorneys at Law contained in the above complaints.

n one charge of driving with a suspended license.

n one attempt to carry a handgun into the Madison County Government Center.

Ramsey could not be reached for comment; his law office phone has been disconnected and his home phone number is unlisted.

Paul Baylor, the local attorney who represented Ramsey during past legal troubles, declined to comment because he didn’t have up-to-date information on the proceedings and said he has not yet been in contact with his former colleague and client.

Seth Pruden, a staff attorney with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission (ISCDC) who handled the Ramsey complaints, said that by resigning while under disciplinary discretion Ramsey leaves himself open for possible reinstatement to practice law in Indiana.

“He apparently resigned to avoid the hearing where it would have been our burden to prove the accusations in these complaints true,” said Pruden.

Had Ramsey not done so and if he had lost his license, he would have permanently lost the privilege to practice law in Indiana.

Now, he must jump through an array of proverbial hoops if he wants to prove himself ethically fit enough for reinstatement. That process, Pruden said, is simple for lawyers fresh out of law school, but would be very difficult for one with a record like Ramsey’s.

When asked about Ramsey’s history and the occurrence of such incidents in the area, Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said that “it happens from time to time, but no one in the last three to four years has had those types of problems.”