Ex-lawmaker makes state Supreme Court appearance in shackles

It was the first time the court could remember that a law license dispute escalated to the point where police had to bring a defendant into court in handcuffs.

Bretran Thompson said after his hearing Monday that the whole situation was a simple mistake. He said the Board of Professional Responsibility mailed a notice to him at the wrong address, not allowing him to reply to its most recent complaint.

In a short hearing, the Supreme Court released Thompson on $5,000 bond and gave him 10 days to respond to a new allegation that he was practicing law without a license.

Thompson said he will dispute the allegation that he was again practicing law without a license. The Board of Professional Responsibility says it has new complaints that Thompson has been representing himself as an attorney and promising to fix people’s credit for a fee.

The issue dates back to the early 1990s when Thompson was a state representative. His license was suspended permanently in 1993 after accusations from a number of clients.