Attorney accused of destroying evidence, deleting child porn from client’s phone

SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — A Middle Tennessee criminal attorney is accused of destroying evidence, including deleting child pornography from a client’s cellphone, authorities said.

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According to Sumner County online booking records, Jocelyn Mims, 64, of Gallatin, was arrested on Wednesday. She was indicted by a grand jury on charges of tampering with evidence, making false reports to an officer and intentionally failing to report child sex abuse.

According to the Hendersonville Police Department, Mims represented a client in 2021, WZTV reported. Police alleged that Mims found and deleted child pornography from her client’s cellphone.

The client, who was not named, is still facing several felony charges, according to the television station. It was unclear what charges were filed against the client.

According to the Tennessee Bar Association, Mims attended Vanderbilt Law School and received her license in 2004, The Tennessean reported.

She was previously disbarred in 2009 after pleading guilty in November 2008 to one count of conspiracy and one count of criminal attempt to introduce drugs into a penal facility, according to the newspaper. Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley confirmed Mims’ prior legal history, The Tennessean reported.

Mims applied to have her license reinstated in May 2016, according to the newspaper. Her request was granted by the Supreme Court of Tennessee in July 2017.

On Friday, police announced that Mims was being held in the Sumner County Jail, with bail set at $80,000, WKRN-TV reported.

Mims is scheduled to appear in Sumner County Criminal Court on Nov. 17, The Tennessean reported.