Contacting the Sunset Commission

 

What former Dallas Bar Association President Al Ellis has to say about the OCDC/CFLD:

"Having served on the Commission for Lawyer Discipline,  and at least 2 full terms on the grievance committee, I have reluctantly concluded for many reasons the SBOT is no longer capable of handling lawyer discipline. It's time for a separate independent agency with capable aggressive investigators and prosecutors to prosecute the barratry and advertising violators and fraudulent claims; to pursue the big firms with frequent conflicts of interests and the real crooks. The CDC just doesn't have the grit to get the job done"

(I would add that the OCDC is not accountable to anyone and changes need to be made with the Texas Supreme Court Grievance Oversight Committee, and the State Bar Grievance Client-Attorney Assistance Program. When was the last time you heard that the Commission for Lawyer Discipline was critical of anything the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel did. And the reason for that is Linda Acevedo, the Chief Disciplinary Counsel sits in at each meeting of the Commission and neither the grieved attorney nor the compliant can appear before the Commission.  Talk about one sided and “ ex parte”!  

 

Texas Attorney Bob Peltier:

 

Years ago, I was always told to fight “Sunsetting” the bar. The main reason given was that citizens would run the grievance process and this would be horrible. After reading the Smitherman and Bennett cases I do not believe that is true anymore. It appears they are out if control and there is no easy way to reel in the unaccountable . It's time, without change, to write your representative and tell him/her the mandatory bar no longer serves a purpose.

We need to start no only contacting your state senator and representative, but also contact the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission to let it know about your concerns with the grievance system and how the Texas Bar ignores complaints, engages in prosecutorial misconduct, overcharges for CLE, and provides no real service to its members. Steve Fischer’s campaign and vote clearly showed the discontent of the majority of the members. Now is the time to start doing something about it.  On the site, www.ocdc-revealed.com, you find the screen “ Related Cases” , you will find 25+ shows how “out-of-control the OCDC and CFLD are and “ no longer capable of handling lawyer discipline."  

 

The contact information for the Sunset Commission is:

 

Email: sunset@sunset.state.tx.us
Phone: (512) 463-1300
Fax: (512) 463-0705

 

Physical Address:

Sunset Advisory Commission,

1501 North Congress Avenue,

6th Floor, Robert E. Johnson Building,

Austin, Texas 78701
 

Mailing Address:

Sunset Advisory Commission,

PO Box 13066,

Austin, Texas 78711