IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
PLEASE READ BEFORE SENDING/SUBMITTING A GRIEVANCE
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Purpose of Grievance:
All lawyers must comply with ethics rules. These rules describe a lawyer's obligation to clients, the courts and the general public in professional dealings. The purpose of this process is to protect the public by disciplining lawyers who violate the ethics rules. Our office cannot consider complaints against judges acting in a judicial capacity.
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Procedure: Our office begins an investigation when a grievance form is received and processed. If it appears that there might be a violation, then a copy of the grievance is sent to the lawyer for a response. Once the lawyer responds to your grievance, you will have a chance to review the response and rebut what the attorney said. Do not expect an immediate response from us after we receive your rebuttal. You will receive a letter from our office when we complete our investigation. If the lawyer's conduct appears to violate the ethics rules, we send the grievance file to a member of the Investigative Panel of the State Disciplinary Board. The Panel member will formally investigate the matter and report to the full Investigative Panel for a decision. If no violations were discovered, then your complaint is closed and you will receive a written explanation of the reasons why. |
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Please Note: Please understand that the Office of the General Counsel cannot represent you, give you any legal advice, change the outcome of a court decision, or recover money for you. There may be times when you feel that the attorney did not represent you in the best possible way and this resulted in an unfavorable outcome. The State Bar of Georgia cannot discipline an attorney for faulty legal advice (malpractice), an unsuccessful trial strategy or ineffective assistance of counsel. Therefore, if you think that the lawyer did not represent you correctly or adequately, you should consult with another attorney about your rights. |
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If you feel that your grievance may be the result of poor communication or a misunderstanding between you and the attorney, you should have an open talk with the attorney before you file a grievance. If your problem with the lawyer is a fee dispute, you may call the Fee Arbitration Division of the State Bar at (404) 527-8750. |
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If you wish to file a grievance, please complete the form, print your name and date it, make a copy for yourself, and submit or return the grievance with your signature to this office. If the form is not properly completed, it may be returned for correction. Be aware that alleging conclusions without explaining facts that support the conclusions will result in either a request for additional information or a dismissal of the grievance. |
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INSTRUCTIONS:
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The State Bar of Georgia is in the process of converting its disciplinary files to electronic media. All submissions will be scanned into an electronic record.
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The following instructions will allow our office to process your documents in an expedient manner.
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If your initial submission is greater than 20 pages, please print the form and submit with a second copy.
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We DO NOT accept fax copies of the grievance.
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DO NOT send audio tapes, CDs or DVDs unless requested.
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DO NOT send medical records.
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Notify us of any change in your address or telephone number.
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Print a copy of the grievance for your own records before submission.
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List one attorney per grievance form.
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DO NOT SEND US ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS,
WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFE-KEEPING
OR RETURN THEM TO YOU.
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Print Grievance Form
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