Connecticut General Statutes/Title 51/Chapter 876/Section 51-90

CGS § 51-90. State-Wide Grievance Committee. Appointment, qualifications and terms of members.

There shall be a State-Wide Grievance Committee which shall consist of fifteen persons appointed by the judges of the Superior Court. At least four of the members shall not be attorneys-at-law and the remainder of the members shall be members of the bar of this state. The judges shall designate one member as chairman and another member as vice-chairman to act in the absence or disability of the chairman. Of the members first appointed prior to October 1, 1988, four members shall serve for a term of one year, four members shall serve for a term of two years and four members shall serve for a term of three years. Of the three new members first appointed on or after October 1, 1988, one member shall serve for a term of one year, one member shall serve for a term of two years and one member shall serve for a term of three years. Thereafter, all members shall serve for a term of three years commencing July first. Any vacancy in the membership of the committee shall be filled by the executive committee of the superior court which shall appoint an attorney-at-law or nonattorney, depending on the position vacated, for the unexpired portion of the term.

Short History

(1949 Rev., S. 7643; February, 1965, P.A. 120; 1969, P.A. 33; P.A. 78-280, S. 81, 127; P.A. 82-248, S. 76; P.A. 84-537, S. 3; 84-546, S. 88, 173; P.A. 85-456, S. 1, 11; P.A. 86-276, S. 1, 15; P.A. 88-152, S. 1.)

Long History

History: 1965 act authorized appointment of more than one committee in each county; 1969 act added provision re filling of vacancies and re designation of county bar member or member of grievance committee from another county to act for member who is disqualified or unable to act in any matter; P.A. 78-280 substituted “judicial district” for “county” where appearing and changed time for appointment of committees from the first regular court session or term after the month of July to the judges' annual meeting in June; P.A. 82-248 made technical revision, rewording some provisions and dividing section into Subsecs. but made no substantive change; P.A. 84-537 amended Subsec. (a) by providing that on or after July 1, 1985, one member of each grievance committee shall not be an attorney-at-law; P.A. 84-546 amended Subsec. (a) by reiterating changes made by P.A. 84-537 and by providing that on or after July 1, 1985, the judges shall designate one attorney as an alternate member; P.A. 85-456 completely replaced previous provisions re three-member grievance committees for each judicial district and the duties of said committees with provisions re the establishment of a state-wide grievance committee and the appointment, qualifications, terms and compensation of its members, effective July 1, 1986; P.A. 86-276 entirely replaced previous provisions re a state-wide grievance committee appointed by the governor, judges and legislative leaders with provisions establishing a state-wide grievance committee consisting of twelve persons appointed by the judges, specifying the qualifications and terms of the members, providing that the judges shall designate a chairman and vice-chairman and providing that any vacancy shall be filled by the executive committee of the superior court; P.A. 88-152 increased the membership of the committee from 12 to 15 persons, increased the minimum number of nonattorneys from 3 to 4, and established staggered terms for the 3 new members appointed on or after October 1, 1988.

Citations

Of the functions of the grievance committee; right to present for offenses not exclusive. 84 C. 603; 88 C. 456. Grievance committee is an independent public body charged with performance of public duty; may appeal from dismissal of complaint against attorney. 112 C. 263. Authority of the Superior Court to regulate the conduct of attorneys who are officers of the court. 180 C. 443. Cited. 215 C. 162; Id., 469; Id., 517; 216 C. 228; 234 C. 539. Doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies is applicable to attorney grievance process. 248 C. 87.

Cited. 9 CA 464; 41 CA 671; judgment reversed, see 240 C. 671; 46 CA 450.

Legislature contemplated impartial investigation. 4 CS 502. Cited. 7 CS 468. Action of grievance committee in reprimanding an attorney does not prevent the Superior Court from taking jurisdiction of the same complaint. 21 CS 363. Mailing of 9,250 Christmas cards found obvious device to “drum up business” and conduct unbecoming lawyers. 22 CS 86.

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