Grievance Procedures

The Ethics and Grievance Committee of the 31st Judicial District Bar has "jurisdiction to hear and find facts concerning misconduct on the part of attorneys who are residents of the district as shown on the rolls of the State Bar."  

Committee members are unable to provide legal advice to complainants.  Our role is to do an initial screening of complaints on behalf of the North Carolina State Bar, which has sole jurisdiction to make the final determination of misconduct.

Complaints may be received directly from the public or be assigned by the State Bar.  Complaints are acknowledged and the attorney involved notified and asked to respond.  The complaint is then assigned to one of our committee members who, after receiving the attorney's response, will investigate the matter and make a report to the Ethics and Grievance Committee.  The Committee will consider the facts and make a recommendation to the North Carolina State Bar.

Since this local committee meets only every four to six weeks, the time lapse between receipt of a grievance and recommendation to the State Bar is normally at least three months.   State Bar committees meet quarterly to conduct their business.  It is not uncommon for the process to take a year before a decision is made and communicated to the complainant.

The 31st Judicial District Bar accepts hand-written or typed complaints in letter form.  Or, you may complete and submit the NC State Bar Grievance Form.   Please attach copies of any documents that support your grievance.