Rule Text
Complaints alleging that an attorney has committed a disciplinary infraction must be accepted from any person, firm, or other entity. The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board (disciplinary board) may, upon its own motion, initiate any investigation or disciplinary action.
Amendment history: Court Order January 26, 2016, effective April 1, 2016] [Court Order January 26, 2016, effective April 1, 2016
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
Anyone can file a complaint against a lawyer if they believe the lawyer did something wrong. This includes regular people, businesses, or other organizations. The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board has to accept these complaints no matter who brings them forward.
The disciplinary board also has the power to start its own investigation, even if no one files a complaint. This means the board can look into a lawyer's conduct on its own, without waiting for someone else to report a problem first.