AL · rules

Ala. R. Disciplinary P. 10

Noncompliance with the Alabama state bar mandatory continuing legal education rules

activein force · 2021-07-23 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Suspension for Noncompliance.

(1) A lawyer is subject to the continuing legal education (CLE) requirement of

Rule 3, Alabama State Bar Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal

Education, and to the professionalism requirement of Rule 9.A, Alabama

State Bar Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, and will be

deemed to not be in compliance with those rules if the lawyer:

(A) Fails to earn twelve (12) approved CLE credits by December 31 of

a particular year;

(B) Fails to certify an annual report of compliance as required by Rule

7, Alabama State Bar Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal

Education;

deficiencies as required by Rule 8, Alabama State Bar Rules for

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education; or

(D) Fails to complete the professionalism course as required by Rule

9.A, Alabama State Bar Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal

Education.

(2) As soon as is practicable after January 31 of each year, the Chairman of

the Commission on Continuing Legal Education shall furnish to the

Secretary of the Alabama State Bar the list of those lawyers deemed not

in compliance with Rule 3, Alabama State Bar Mandatory Continuing

Legal Education Rules and Regulations.

(3) As soon as is practicable after the first anniversary of the lawyer's

admission to the Bar or of a lawyer's being licensed to practice law in

Alabama, the Chairman of the Commission on Continuing Education

shall furnish to the Secretary of the Alabama State Bar the list of those

lawyers deemed not in compliance with Rule 9, Alabama State Bar

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Rules and Regulations.

(4) The Chairman of the Disciplinary Commission shall then serve, by

certified mail, each lawyer whose name appears on the lists complied

pursuant to paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) above with an order to show

cause, within sixty (60) days, why the lawyer's license should not be

suspended at the expiration of the sixty (60) days. Any lawyer so notified

may, within sixty (60) days, furnish to the Disciplinary Commission an

affidavit (a) indicating that the lawyer has complied with the CLE

requirement before the expiration of the sixty (60) days, or (b) indicating

that the attorney has completed the professionalism course required by

Rule 9.A., or (c) setting forth a valid excuse for failure to comply with

either requirement because of illness or other good cause. Payment of

a fee in the amount of $300.00 must accompany the affidavit. This sum

is in addition to all late fees incurred before compliance.

(5) At the expiration of sixty (60) days from the date of the order to show

cause, the Disciplinary Commission shall enter an order suspending the

license to practice law of each lawyer who fails to file an affidavit

satisfactory to the Disciplinary Commission as described in paragraph

(4) above.

(b) Reinstatement.

(1) At any time within ninety (90) days after the order of suspension, a

lawyer may file with the Disciplinary Commission an affidavit indicating

compliance with Rule 3 or Rule 9.A., Alabama State Bar Rules for

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, and, if the affidavit is

satisfactory to the Disciplinary Commission, the Disciplinary

Commission shall forthwith enter an order reinstating the lawyer.

(2) If a lawyer has been suspended by the Disciplinary Commission for more

than ninety (90) days, the lawyer shall be required to file with the

Disciplinary Board an affidavit, as described in paragraph (a)(3) above,

together with a petition for reinstatement as provided in Rule 28 of these

Rules and Appendix A to these Rules.

order of suspension or an order denying reinstatement entered by the

Disciplinary Commission. Additionally, an affected lawyer may appeal the action

of the Disciplinary Board to the Alabama Supreme Court in accordance with the

procedure set out in Rule 12(g) of these Rules.

History

[Amended eff. 9-1-99; Amended 9-20-2016, eff. 1-1-2017; Amended eff. 7-23-2021.] Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule 10, effective September 1, 1999, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 736 So.2d. Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule 8(a) and (b), Rule 10(a) and (b), Rule 17(f), Rule 18, Rule 26(h)(2), Rule 28(e), and Appendix A, Ala. R. Disc. P., effective January 1, 2017, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 199 So. 3d. Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule 3(c), Rule 9(c), Rule 10(c), Rule 11(c), Rule 12, Rule 20(d), Rule 27(d), Rule 28(j), and Rule 30(a)(1), and adopting Rule 6(c), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, effective July 23, 2021, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from __ So. 3d.

Provenance

Source: judicial.alabama.gov
Retrieved: 2026-09-15
Edition: 2026-09-15
Content hash: 2dd22ef4757d9c0289d3b2c53b6f45b72956060a65f11b68d21c4af56872f343

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