how do i find out if a lawyer has been disciplined

How Can I Check if a Texas Attorney Has Been Censured or Disciplined by Any Legal or Ethics Committee in the Past?

• Visit the State Bar of Texas website.
• On the home page you will see the Find a Lawyer feature on the top of the page.
• Type in the name of the first and last name of the attorney, and law firm, if available.

Full Answer

Where can I find information about my attorney discipline?

952 rows · Jan 13, 2015 · To determine whether a practitioner has been previously disciplined, click on this link for the List of Previously Disciplined Practitioners. For more information about the Executive Office for Immigration Review's Attorney Discipline Program, click on these links: Rules for Professional Conduct (2000), (PDF)

What happens if an attorney is disciplined?

Jan 15, 2020 · An important step in evaluating whether an attorney is right for you is investigating whether he or she has ever been disciplined. All states have a disciplinary organization that closely monitors attorneys. If a complaint is made against an attorney, the state's organization will investigate the claim and determine whether or not the attorney has violated any ethical …

How do I find out if an attorney has been disbarred?

To find out whether an attorney has been disciplined, you must first determine the state or states in which an attorney is licensed, and then go to the website for the bar association for that state. The American Bar Association maintains an online listing of each state’s lawyer disciplinary agency. You can then search for that attorney’s name in the state bar’s record to see whether …

How do I determine if a practitioner has been previously disciplined?

Jul 07, 2010 · It provides links to the official lawyer look-up page for every state and the District of Columbia. An alternative, unofficial source for this information is the lawyer-directory site Avvo. It provides disciplinary histories for the lawyers it lists. I would start with the official source and use Avvo as a back up.

What should I do when choosing an attorney?

It’s always awkward to ask, “So, when’s the last time you were suspended from practice?”

Look up the attorney on the state bar association website

Each state has its own bar association that grants licenses to attorneys. These associations monitor and discipline lawyers, suspending or disbarring those who violate the code of ethics for that specific state.

Google online reviews and complaints

When picking an attorney for any matter, at the very least you should search for reviews online and see what others have said.

How to file a complaint against a lawyer?

If you still want to file a complaint, it must be in writing. You can use the Law Society's online complaint form or submit a paper complaint form .

What is a discipline hearing?

A discipline hearing is similar to a court hearing. A Law Society lawyer, like a Crown prosecutor, presents evidence to prove the allegations against the lawyer. The lawyer who is the subject of the allegations is usually represented by another lawyer.

What to do if your lawyer stole from you?

If you think your lawyer has stolen from you, you may file a complaint and you may also be entitled to compensation. The Law Society's Professional Conduct group investigates complaints about lawyer conduct, and claims for compensation are handled by the Lawyers Indemnity Fund. See Claims for theft for details.

How long does it take to investigate a complaint?

There is no set time for an investigation of a complaint. Generally speaking, the more serious or complex the issue is, the longer the review will take. However, the Law Society does its best to handle all complaints promptly and fairly. About 85% of complaints are resolved within one year.

Who decides if a lawyer is guilty?

Who decides whether a lawyer is guilty? If a complaint proceeds to a discipline hearing, it will be heard before a panel that is chaired by a lawyer and includes at least one Law Society Bencher or Life Bencher who is a lawyer, a lawyer who is not a Bencher, and a member of the public who is not a lawyer. Together, these panel members act as judges.

Can a citation be kept private?

A citation leads to a public hearing, in which case, only information protected by solicitor/client privilege can be kept private unless an order is made by the hearing panel for other information not to be disclosed to protect the interests of any person.

Is a complaint confidential?

Complaints are not confidential. Information you provide to the Law Society may be forwarded to the lawyer for his or her consideration. The lawyer may not be required to keep that information confidential.