Former West Plains attorney John “Jay” N. Wiles II, 52, of Springfield, has been disbarred by order of the Missouri Supreme Court. The revocation of his law license took effect Tuesday.
Wiles, who began practicing law in West Plains in 2014, operated a local practice until shortly after the December 2020 death of his first wife, when he relocated to the Kansas City area.
Wiles’ license was initially suspended on an interim basis May 15, 2025, after an investigation by the state’s Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel revealed he had failed to appear for dozens of municipal and county court cases across Missouri.
The disciplinary motion cited 59 active cases in 12 counties and two cities dating back to October 2024 where clients appeared in court without representation or where neither Wiles nor his clients appeared.
In a June 20 letter addressed to the court, Wiles admitted to most allegations of misconduct but asked for the reinstatement of his license, stating he had been unable to secure employment following his suspension.
Wiles outlined a series of personal and professional hardships as mitigating factors, including the 2022 death of his second wife, and a difficult career transition from corporate and real estate law into criminal defense in late 2024.
He wrote that his goal in shifting to criminal defense was to "incorporate empathy" and "save the world, one client at a time" by providing legal aid to individuals who might otherwise lack representation. However, Wiles noted he frequently represented clients on promises of future payment, which severely depleted his financial reserves following a move from Ray County to Greene County.
To offset growing financial losses, Wiles said he took on an overwhelming caseload that grew to about 80 cases across 11 counties, including pending cases from the Kansas City area.
The combination of an unmanageable schedule, a lack of funds for personal and professional expenses, and severe health issues — including multiple stress-induced heart attacks — led to his missed court dates while indigent, he stated. In one instance, Wiles noted he attended a Greene County court appearance knowing a writ of body attachment warrant had been issued for him out of Camden County, resulting in his expected arrest; he stated he appeared out of determination to show up for his client.
“I understand I am responsible for the people who work for me or with me, as I was the supervising attorney,” Wiles wrote in his submission to the court. “I apologize to the Supreme Court, the legal system and everyone whose case was muddied as a result of my good intentions and inexperience. In summation, I have to believe in the system which no longer believes in me, and I accept the decision of the Supreme Court of Missouri without objection.”
