Complaints of Unethical Conduct by an Attorney

As part of its responsibility to supervise lawyers and its interest in promoting public confidence in the legal system, the Supreme Court has established procedures for addressing allegations of unethical conduct by attorneys.

Two committees assist the court with this important duty—the Attorney Disciplinary Board and the Grievance Commission.

The Attorney Disciplinary Board, with the help of a full-time staff, investigates complaints about lawyer misconduct. Please see the address below to contact the committee. If, after investigation, there is probable cause to believe the lawyer violated the Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct and public discipline is warranted, the board will refer the matter to the Grievance Commission.

The Grievance Commission, which is composed of lawyers and non-lawyers appointed by the Supreme Court, may review the complaint further. The Grievance Commission may recommend to the Supreme Court that a lawyer be reprimanded or that a lawyer's law license be suspended indefinitely or revoked.

The ultimate decision rests with the Supreme Court. The Court may accept, but is not bound by the commission's recommendation.

To make a complaint about an attorney, please use the form below and send it to:

Attorney Disciplinary Board 

Iowa Judicial Branch Building
1111 East Court Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50319 

 

Links on this page go to files that may be unusable if you do not have the proper programs installed on your computer. Visit the Site Tools and Accessibility page for any plug-ins or programs your may need.