About the Commission
The Attorney Grievance Commission looks into complaints that a lawyer has broken the rules governing attorney conduct. Its job is to protect the public and keep the legal profession honest by investigating allegations and, when warranted, bringing disciplinary cases against attorneys.
The Supreme Court oversees the legal profession in Michigan, and the Commission works under the Court's authority.
The Commission prosecutes. The Attorney Discipline Board decides. When the Commission brings a case, its Grievance Administrator prosecutes it before the Attorney Discipline Board, a three-member panel that hears the evidence and decides the case.
What the Commission handles
The Commission looks at an attorney's professional conduct. Complaints can involve things such as:
- Dishonesty or misleading a client, the court, or others;
- Mishandling client money or property;
- Neglecting a case or failing to communicate with a client;
- Conflicts of interest;
- Breaking a court order or the rules of the court.
The Commission can
- Review complaints about attorney conduct
- Investigate and ask the attorney to respond
- Bring a disciplinary case against an attorney
The Commission can't
- Give legal advice or represent you
- Change the result of your case
- Recover money or award damages
Not sure who to contact? Concerns about a judge or magistrate go to the Judicial Tenure Commission. Concerns about a lawyer go here.
How a complaint is handled
- You submit a complaintDescribe what the attorney did, when it happened, and any case it relates to.
- The Commission reviews itStaff check whether the complaint describes possible misconduct that the Commission can act on. Complaints that don't are closed.
- The attorney responds and the Commission investigatesThe attorney is asked to answer the allegations, and the Commission gathers the facts.
- The Commission decides whether to proceedIf the evidence doesn't show misconduct, the complaint is dismissed. If it does, the Commission refers the case to the Attorney Discipline Board, and the Grievance Administrator prosecutes it.
- The Attorney Discipline Board hears and decidesThe attorney can answer the charges. The Board's three members hold a hearing, consider the evidence, and issue a decision. See the Attorney Discipline Board.
Possible outcomes
If the Attorney Discipline Board finds that the attorney committed misconduct, the discipline depends on how serious it was.
| Outcome | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dismissal | No misconduct was found, and no discipline is imposed. |
| Reprimand | A formal public warning. The attorney keeps their license. |
| Suspension | The attorney may not practice law for a set period of time. |
| Disbarment | The attorney's license is revoked, and they can no longer practice law in Michigan. |
What to include in a complaint
- The attorney's name, and the firm if you know it
- The case number, if the issue relates to a case
- The dates and a clear description of what happened
- Copies of letters, emails, or filings that support your complaint
Complaints should be about what the attorney did, not about whether you won or lost. If you disagree with a court's decision, the remedy is an appeal. See mandatory appeals.