Texas: Attorney & Judicial Discipline
Who regulates lawyers and judges in Texas, how complaints are filed, counted, and adjudicated, and where the complaint and disposition numbers come from.
Attorney discipline
Who regulates lawyers in Texas Publishes statistics
Attorney discipline in Texas is administered by the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel / Commission for Lawyer Discipline (State Bar of Texas), under the ultimate authority of the Supreme Court of Texas.
About -96.0% of complaints proceed past initial screening (2023); the rest are screened out or dismissed.
How complaints are filed
A complaint (often called a grievance) against a lawyer is filed directly with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel / Commission for Lawyer Discipline (State Bar of Texas), typically via an online or printable complaint form. Filing is free and no lawyer is needed. The agency screens each filing to confirm it involves an attorney under its jurisdiction and conduct that could violate the rules of professional conduct; filings that survive screening are opened for investigation. The disciplinary process addresses professional misconduct — it cannot overturn a case result or award damages.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes aggregate attorney discipline statistics — grievances filed/dismissed, private/public reprimands, suspensions, disbarments, resignations, barratry/immigration. Published as: Annual-report PDF; coverage: through 2023–2024. Separate stats page at texasbar.com Grievance/Relevant Statistics.
How complaints are adjudicated
Grievances are filed with the State Bar's Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, which first classifies each filing as an “inquiry” (dismissed) or a “complaint” (investigated). If just cause is found, the attorney chooses the forum: an evidentiary panel of the local grievance committee or a district court. The Commission for Lawyer Discipline acts as the client in prosecutions; appeals go to the Board of Disciplinary Appeals (BODA), whose members are appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas.
| Year | Complaints received | Disbarments | Resignations in lieu of discipline | Public suspensions | Public reprimands censures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 8,015 | 14 | 17 | 152 | 32 |
| 2019 | 7,505 | 21 | 9 | 140 | 39 |
| 2020 | 7,007 | 18 | 15 | 123 | 36 |
| 2021 | 7,175 | 21 | 27 | 120 | — |
| 2022 | 8,472 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 8,472 | — | — | — | — |
Judicial discipline
Who regulates judges in Texas Publishes statistics
Complaints against Texas state judges are handled by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. (Federal judges sitting in Texas are covered by the separate federal system.)
How complaints are filed
Complaints about Texas judges are filed in writing with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Filing is free and confidential. The commission's jurisdiction covers judicial conduct — bias, demeanor, conflicts, delay, abuse of office — not the legal correctness of rulings, which must be challenged on appeal. Complaints are screened confidentially, and most are dismissed at that stage.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes aggregate judicial discipline statistics — complaints, investigations, formal proceedings, public warnings/reprimands/admonitions, suspensions, removals, private sanctions. Published as: Annual-report PDF; coverage: FY2001–FY2025. 25 years of reports.
How complaints are adjudicated
If screening indicates possible misconduct, the commission investigates and may file formal charges heard in a formal proceeding. In most states the commission's role ends in a recommendation, with final public discipline — censure, suspension, or removal — imposed by the state's highest court; in some, the commission itself imposes sanctions subject to review. Texas's exact division of authority is set by its constitution and court rules. Confidential dispositions (private cautions or advisory letters) never become public.
| Year | Resignations under agreement | Suspensions | Complaints received | Dispositions total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 6 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4 | — | 925 | 1,173 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,135 | — |
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel / Commission for Lawyer Discipline (State Bar of Texas) — attorney discipline statistics
- Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel / Commission for Lawyer Discipline (State Bar of Texas) — main site
- State Commission on Judicial Conduct — judicial discipline statistics / annual reports
- State Commission on Judicial Conduct — main site
- ABA Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (S.O.L.D.)
- NCSC Center for Judicial Ethics — annual state judicial-discipline reviews