Rule 34.12 Immunity

If you file a complaint against a lawyer, or testify about that complaint, you're protected from being sued over it. This means the person you complained about can't turn around and sue you for making the complaint or for what you said during the investigation. This protection is meant to encourage people to come forward with concerns about lawyer misconduct without fear of legal retaliation.

The people who handle these complaints, like members of the grievance commission, the disciplinary board, and staff who work on these cases, are also protected from lawsuits. Any claims against them have to go through the Iowa Tort Claims Act, which is a specific legal process for suing state employees and agencies. This makes it harder to sue these officials directly and sets special rules for how those claims must be handled.

Finally, if someone needs to testify in a disciplinary case but is worried about incriminating themselves, the Iowa Supreme Court can step in. The disciplinary board or grievance commission can ask the court to grant that witness immunity from criminal prosecution. This means the witness can speak freely without worrying that their testimony will be used to criminally charge them later. The prosecuting authority in the area must be notified before this happens.