Find by Name Click on the first letter of the last name of an attorney to find documents for all Michigan attorneys who have been the subject of public discipline or disability proceedings since October 1978. Click on the highlighted “P number” under the attorney’s name to view the documents.
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How to Find an Attorney's Disciplinary Record Online. Use the links below to select the state where the attorney practices law. Then go to the state bar site to search the attorney's name or bar number. On many of these directories, you can see if the license has ever been inactive or if the attorney has ever been disciplined for misconduct.
Click on the first letter of the last name of an attorney to find documents for all Michigan attorneys who have been the subject of public discipline or disability proceedings since October 1978. Click on the highlighted “P number” under the attorney’s name to view the documents.
If so, the organization will discipline the attorney as appropriate. Attorneys can be disciplined for various reasons - from failing to pay their bar dues to misappropriating client funds to gross ethical violations.
There is a separate disciplinary system for Michigan judges, referees, and magistrates (judicial officers). The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) provides oversight of the professional conduct of judicial officers.
It’s always awkward to ask, “So, when’s the last time you were suspended from practice?”
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.
When picking an attorney for any matter, at the very least you should search for reviews online and see what others have said.
For the public, the best way to confirm that an attorney is licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction is to contact the licensing or regulatory agency in that state that grants the bar license.
Generally, the state bar database provides information about the attorney's name, address, phone number, email address, education, area of practice or specialty, and years in practice.
In most states, the licensing or regulatory agency is managed by the state bar or the state bar association. In 44 states and the District of Columbia, the licensing or regulatory agency publishes its database online so that the public can easily figure out whether an attorney is licensed, active, and in good standing.