Rule 3-906 Trust account audit rule.

This rule gives the state's attorney discipline office the power to check up on lawyers' trust accounts. Lawyers are required to keep client money in special trust accounts, separate from their own funds. This rule lets the Counsel for Discipline, or someone they authorize in writing, look at sworn statements lawyers file about these accounts.

The rule also allows the discipline office to audit any lawyer's trust account at any time. They don't need a specific reason or advance notice to do this. This gives the state a way to catch problems early, like a lawyer mixing client money with their own funds or spending money that belongs to a client.

For regular people, this rule matters because it helps protect money you give to a lawyer to hold for you. If a lawyer is mishandling trust funds, this audit power gives the state a tool to find out and step in before more harm is done.