Rule 17 Power of Court to Revoke or Suspend Admission

The North Dakota Supreme Court always has the power to take away or pause a lawyer's license to practice law in the state. This applies even if other rules don't specifically mention this power. The court can do this if a lawyer lied or gave false information to get their license in the first place.

Before the court can revoke or suspend someone's license under this rule, the lawyer gets fair notice and a hearing. This means the lawyer has a chance to know what they're accused of and to respond before the court makes a final decision. The rule exists to protect the public from lawyers who cheated their way into the profession, while still giving those lawyers a fair process before losing their license.