Opinion ID: 1726998
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 47

Heading: Periodic Assessment of Attorneys

Text: 20.1 Every attorney admitted to practice before this Court, except those exempt under 20.2, shall pay to the Clerk of this Court for the Grand Division wherein the attorney maintains an office on or before March 1, of each year an annual fee for each year beginning in 1976 to be set by the Court from time-to-time. All funds collected hereunder shall be deposited in a depository designated by order of this Court, and withdrawals therefrom shall be made only upon resolution of the Board, by officers designated by the Board, for the purpose of defraying the costs of disciplinary administration and enforcement of these rules, and for such other related purposes as this Court shall from time-to-time authorize or direct. The annual fee until further order of this Court shall be: After Date of Admission Annual To Practice Law Fee Up to five years: $15.00 Five years or more: $25.00 20.2 There shall be exempted from the application of this rule: (a) Attorneys who are non-residents of the state and no longer practice therein. (b) Retired attorneys. (c) Attorneys on temporary duty with the armed forces. (d) Faculty members of Tennessee law schools who do not practice. (e) Attorneys not engaged in the practice of law. The term, the practice of law shall be defined as any service rendered involving legal knowledge or legal advice, whether of representation, counsel or advocacy, in or out of court, rendered in respect to the rights, duties, regulations, liabilities or business relations of one requiring the services. It shall encompass all public and private positions in which the attorney may be called upon to examine the law or pass upon the legal effect of any act, document or law. 20.3 Any attorney who fails to timely pay the fee required under 20.1 above shall be summarily suspended, provided a notice of delinquency has been forwarded to him by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to his last known business address at least 30 days prior to such suspension unless he shall have been excused on grounds of financial hardship pursuant to procedures to be established by the Board. 20.4 Any attorney suspended under the provisions of 20.3 above shall be reinstated without further order upon payment of all arrears and a penalty of 20% of the amount due from the date of his last payment to the date of his request for reinstatement. 20.5 To facilitate the collection of the annual fee provided for in 20.1 above, all persons required by this Rule to pay an annual fee shall, on or before March 1 of every year, commencing in 1976 file with the Clerk of this Court for the Grand Division wherein the attorney maintains an office a registration statement, on a form prescribed by this Court, setting forth his current residence and office addresses, and such other information as this Court may from time-to-time direct. In addition to such statement, every attorney shall file with the appropriate Clerk of this Court a supplemental statement of any change in the information previously submitted within 30 days of such change. All persons first becoming subject to these Rules by admission to the practice of law before the courts of this State after January 1, 1976, shall file the statement required by this Rule at the time of admission; but no annual fee shall be payable until March 1 next following such date of admission. 20.6 Within 30 days of the receipt of a statement or supplement thereto filed by an attorney in accordance with the provisions of 20.5 above, the appropriate Clerk of this Court shall acknowledge receipt thereof, on a form prescribed by this Court in order to enable the attorney on request to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of 20.1 and 20.5 above. 20.7 Any attorney who fails to file the statement or supplement thereto in accordance with the requirements of 20.5 above shall be summarily suspended; provided a notice of delinquency has been forwarded to him by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to his last known business address at least 30 days prior to such suspension. He shall remain suspended until he shall have complied therewith, whereupon he shall be reinstated without further order. 20.8 An attorney who has retired or is not engaged in practice shall advise the appropriate Clerk of this Court in writing that he desires to assume inactive status and discontinue the practice of law. Upon the filing of such notice, the attorney shall no longer be eligible to practice law. 20.9 Upon the filing of a notice to assume inactive status, an attorney shall be removed from the roll of those classified as active until and unless he requests and is granted reinstatement to the active rolls. Reinstatement shall be granted unless the attorney is subject to an outstanding order of suspension or disbarment or has been in inactive status for five years or more, upon the payment of any assessment in effect for the year the request is made and any arrears accumulated prior to transfer to inactive status. Attorneys who have been suspended or on inactive status for over five years before filing a petition for reinstatement to active status may be required, in the discretion of this Court, to establish proof of competency and learning in law which proof may include certification by the Bar Examiners of his successful completion of an examination for admission to practice subsequent to the date of suspension or transfer to inactive status. 20.10 The courts of this state are charged with the responsibility of insuring that no suspended attorney be permitted to file any document, paper or pleading or otherwise practice therein.