The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure on [date not specified in record] found psychiatrist Maxie L. Gordon guilty on three counts: being disciplined by a licensed hospital, failing to report collaborative relationships with advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and committing unprofessional conduct.

The board’s complaint counsel told members they had documentary evidence from the Mississippi State Hospital and the state auditor showing a pattern of clock-in and off‑campus vehicle movements that, the state argued, supported findings that Gordon had been paid for time he was not present at the hospital. "The evidence will be clear and convincing," complaint counsel said, outlining timesheets, auditor calculations and surveillance records the office had supplied.

Gordon’s attorney, Mike Brown, urged the board to view the record differently, saying the evidence did not show intentional falsification. "There was no proof of any intentional falsification," Brown said in closing. He argued Gordon had been inadequately trained on the interaction of a salaried appointment and the hospital’s timekeeping system and that he had worked to correct collaborative reporting when he discovered the discrepancy.

Gordon, who testified and answered questions from board counsel, denied intending to steal pay or defraud the state. He said he routinely performed patient‑related work outside posted hours and charted after shifts: "Everything that I did at the state hospital was for the good of the patients," he told the board. He also described using family members and others to transport him to and from the facility during the period under review.

Witnesses called by the state included hospital administrators and deposition excerpts that complaint counsel had placed into evidence. The state’s presentation cited an auditor’s demand letter seeking $34,269.44 and said the auditor’s review identified 21 dates with disputed time entries. Gordon testified he later settled a related auditor claim for $19,000 through mediation and denied any admission of wrongdoing in the settlement.

The board deliberated in executive session and announced its determination publicly: guilty on counts 1, 2 and 3. The board imposed a one‑year suspension of Gordon’s Mississippi license but immediately stayed that suspension and attached conditions. Those conditions include limiting Gordon’s collaborative agreements to no more than 10 APRNs, reporting to the executive director in six months for review of his collaborations, completion of a PROBE longitudinal course (certificate of completion to be provided), and reimbursement of investigative costs. The board directed its attorney to issue a written order reflecting the findings and terms.

Board members who questioned Gordon highlighted a regulatory expectation that a licensed physician must maintain accurate licensure records and monitor any staff who practice under the physician’s oversight. Several board members emphasized that collaborative supervision is not a mere formality: "You have to know who they are, what they're doing and hold them accountable," a board member said during questioning.

Gordon’s defense emphasized that he had not been found deficient in patient care and that many of the decisions that led to the investigation involved disputed factual inferences from vehicle surveillance and time punches. Defense counsel also noted portions of depositions in which hospital witnesses did not recall specific discussions about allowing Gordon to leave campus to move personal items during an early transition to the post and that the witnesses sometimes described memory lapses about the precise orientation they provided.

The board’s order will be mailed to Gordon. A formal written order with findings of fact and conclusions of law will provide the details of the sanctions and any appeal rights.

What happens next: The board’s order will be issued in writing and mailed to Gordon. He is required to comply with the reporting and course requirements, and the board will review his collaborative agreements in six months.