where to go to complain about a lawyer in ct

Full Answer

How do I file a complaint against a lawyer?

The court's Bar Grievance Committee has authority to investigate serious complaints against lawyers about misconduct or unethical behavior and to discipline lawyers. A complaint, or grievance, is started by completing and signing a complaint form and mailing it to: East Hartford, CT 06118-1885.

How to find a lawyer in Connecticut for free?

If you have a low income and have a civil case (for example, divorce, landlord/tenant, child support), call Statewide Legal Services at 1-800-453-3320 (860-344-0380 for the Middletown area) for a lawyer or referral to a lawyer who may help you for free or for a reduced fee. 3. How are people legally permitted to practice law in Connecticut?

How do I file a complaint in East Hartford?

A complaint, or grievance, is started by completing and signing a complaint form and mailing it to: East Hartford, CT 06118-1885. Complaint forms are also available at every Superior Court Clerk's Office. There is no charge for filing a grievance complaint. Lawyers are regulated by the Superior Court.

How are lawyers regulated in Connecticut?

Lawyers are regulated by the Superior Court. The standards governing the ethical behavior of lawyers are called The Rules of Professional Conduct. They are printed in the Connecticut Practice Book, which is available at any courthouse law library. 7. What happens after a complaint against a lawyer is filed?

How do I file a complaint against an attorney in CT?

You may file a claim by completing and returning a claim form, available from the office of the Client Security Fund Committee, Second Floor, Suite One, 287 Main Street, East Hartford, Connecticut, 06118-1885, telephone (860) 568-3450. The form should be completed providing as much information as possible.

What is the most common complaint against lawyers?

Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.

Where do you report Attorneys?

Depending on where your attorney is practicing, your complaint should either be lodged at: Gauteng, North-West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo to the Law Society of the Northern Provinces (www.northernlaw.co.za) Free State to the Law Society of the Free State (www.fs-law.co.za)

How do I file a complaint against a judge in CT?

Please contact the court clerk's office or visit the Judicial Branch website for a copy of the appeal Form JD-FM-111.

What should you not say to a lawyer?

Five things not to say to a lawyer (if you want them to take you..."The Judge is biased against me" Is it possible that the Judge is "biased" against you? ... "Everyone is out to get me" ... "It's the principle that counts" ... "I don't have the money to pay you" ... Waiting until after the fact.

What is it called when a lawyer doesn't do his job?

Legal malpractice is a type of negligence in which a lawyer does harm to his or her client. Typically, this concerns lawyers acting in their own interests, lawyers breaching their contract with the client, and, one of the most common cases of legal malpractice, is when lawyers fail to act on time for clients.

Can you sue a lawyer for not doing their job?

A claim of malpractice may exist if your lawyer exhibited negligence in your representation. If your lawyer's negligence caused you to suffer harm or a less advantageous outcome or settlement in your case, you may have a claim to sue your lawyer for professional negligence.

How long should it take for a lawyer to get back to you?

Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most. Your lawyer owes you responsive communication, even if you're not their only client. There's no excuse for an attorney who takes weeks to return calls or emails.

What to do when your lawyer stops communicating with you?

If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems. If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney.

Does filing a complaint with the FTC do anything?

The FTC cannot resolve individual complaints, but it can provide information about what steps to take. The FTC says that complaints can help it and its law enforcement partners detect patterns of fraud and abuse, which may lead to investigations and stopping unfair business practices.

Can a complaint be made against a judge?

A grievance regarding a complaint against a Judge can be taken up for inquiry by the concerned High Court or Supreme Court as per in-house procedure adopted by them. There is no role of Government in disposal of such grievances.

How do you deal with a biased judge?

What Can You Do If a Judge is Unfair?Request Recusal.File Appeal to Send Decision to a Higher Court.File a Motion for Reconsideration.File a Grievance on the Basis of Unethical Behavior.

What is the Superior Court in Connecticut?

The Superior Court regulates the practice of law in Connecticut. There are three ways to practice law legally in Connecticut. (They are more fully described in the Connecticut Practice Book Sections 8 and following.)

Why is a complaint dismissed?

Some reasons for dismissing complaints: only involves a fee dispute which is not clearly excessive or improper; no claim of misconduct; does not contain specific enough information on which to base an investigation; duplicates a complaint already considered and dismissed; or,

How many lawyers are on the grievance panel?

Every Judicial District has a grievance panel made up of one lay person and two attorneys who do not have offices in the Judicial District. The panel decides whether there is "probable cause" to believe that the lawyer is guilty of misconduct.

What is the procedure for disciplining lawyers?

The procedure for disciplining lawyers is also in the Practice Book, beginning with Section 2-29. In addition, the Statewide Grievance Committee has adopted its own rules of procedure to supplement those found in the practice book.

Is there a charge for filing a grievance in Connecticut?

There is no charge for filing a grievance complaint. Lawyers are regulated by the Superior Court. The standards governing the ethical behavior of lawyers are called The Rules of Professional Conduct. They are printed in the Connecticut Practice Book, which is available at any courthouse law library. Top.

Can a disciplinary counsel give legal advice?

Disciplinary Counsel cannot give you legal advice or pursue claims that you may have against your lawyer outside of the diciplinary process. If you feel that you need legal advice, you may wish to hire a lawyer of your own for the disciplinary process.

Do you have to sign a document to get payment from a dishonest attorney?

In order for you to receive payment, the Client Security Fund Committee will require you to sign documents transferring your claim against the dishonest attorney to the Committee, in order to allow the Client Security Fund Committee to attempt to obtain reimbursement from that attorney for amounts paid to you.

Describe Your Complaint

Date of transaction or incident: (Example: 01/01/1990) Invalid date format or value is outside date range Invalid date format or value is outside date range

Action Taken By You

Have you previously contacted the CT Attorney General Office or other State or Federal Agencies about this matter?

Declaration and Signature

Declaration check box 1 is required. In filing this complaint, I acknowledge that the Attorney General does not represent me individually, but represents the State of Connecticut in enforcing laws designed to protect the public from deceptive or unfair practices.

Reviewing and Investigating Complaints

The agency board will do an initial review of the complaint. Based on the review, the board will do one of the following things. The board could either investigate the complaint, close the complaint and take no further action, or close the complaint but refer it to another agency of the jurisdiction of the criminal court.

Moving Forward With Complaints

After the investigation is complete, the board will either move forward with the complaint or dismiss it.

Getting Help

Licensees that are under investigation or are facing an informal or formal administrative hearing have the right to contact an attorney for representation. It may be critical to have an attorney who is in your corner if you are going up against an administrative board. For more information, contact our office to speak with an attorney.

What is the name of the board that handles complaints against lawyers?

In many states, a division of the courts handles these complaints. This is typically referred to as the disciplinary board . Some states rely on their state bar associations to discipline their attorneys.

What happens if a complaint is found to be true?

If the complaint is found to be true, the disciplinary board can fine the attorney, force the attorney to attend classes or perform community service, or take away the attorney's license. The disciplinary board typically does not give the person who complained about the attorney any money.

What is disciplinary action for an attorney?

For attorneys, a disciplinary action is very serious as it can directly affect their ability to earn a living. It may be best to first try and resolve any dispute you have with the attorney on your own.

Do lawyers make mistakes?

Most lawyers do their most to provide the best representation possible. However, every so often lawyers do not act properly or make serious mistakes, and in those cases their clients can file a complaint with the entity responsible for overseeing the practice of law in their state.

Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection

To protect the health and safety of the public and our employees, DCP has limited on-site staffing at 450 Columbus Blvd. While mail and phone calls will be processed as quickly as possible, we recommend using our online services, or sending an email to the appropriate division/person instead. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Complaints

The Department of consumer protection responds to thousands of consumer questions and complaints each year. Just a few of the areas addressed by the Department include:

Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

ATTENTION: The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority does not accept walk-in customer complaints in our offices at 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, Connecticut. Customers may contact the Authority by telephone (1-800-382-4586, toll-free) or by email at pura.information@ct.gov or by completing an online intake form.

File a Complaint

ATTENTION: The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority does not accept walk-in customer complaints in our offices at 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, Connecticut. Customers may contact the Authority by telephone (1-800-382-4586, toll-free) or by email at pura.information@ct.gov or by completing an online intake form.

How long does a complainant have to file an appeal?

The notice of dismissal must specify the reasons for the dismissal. The complainant has 14 days from the date notice of the dismissal is mailed to him to file an appeal. (This is the only instance in the grievance process that a complainant can appeal an adverse ruling.)

How to investigate a grievance?

1. confer with and, if possible, meet with the complainants and assist them in understanding the grievance process and answer questions they may have concerning that process; 2. investigate all complaints the grievance panel receives from the statewide bar counsel involving an attorney's alleged misconduct;

What happens when a presentment is taken to the Superior Court?

When a presentment is taken to the Superior Court, a public trial is held unless a settlement is reached, and the court may dismiss the complaint or make any order necessary to protect the public including a reprimand, suspension, or disbarment. The Superior Court's decision is final.

How many grievance panels are there in the state of California?

There are one or more grievance panels in each of the state's 13 judicial districts. A grievance panel is composed of one person who is not an attorney and two attorneys whose law offices are in judicial districts outside that in which the panel serves. Each panel also has an alternate member who is an attorney.

What is a reprimand in a civil case?

1. reprimand; 2. restitution, for example, return of property belonging to the complainant; 3. assessment of costs; 4. an order that the attorney return a client's file to the client; 5.

How long does a preliminary investigation take?

The preliminary investigation is not public unless the accused attorney (respondent) asks that it be public. The panel generally has 110 days to complete its work.

Can a court appoint a trustee when an attorney dies?

The rules also allow a court to appoint a trustee when an attorney dies if no partner, executor, or other responsible person capable of conducting the attorney's affairs is willing to assume responsibility (2-64(a)). COURT RULES. § 2-29 — Grievance Panels.