OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5665
Emergency Certification
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF LAW
This bill specifies that the law prohibiting a person from practicing law in Connecticut unless admitted by the Superior Court cannot be construed to prohibit an attorney admitted to practice law in another state from practicing law in Connecticut in relation to an impeachment proceeding under the Connecticut Constitution if the attorney is retained by:
1. the General Assembly, the House of Representatives, the Senate, a committee of any of those bodies, the presiding officer at a Senate trial, or any of their employees or agents or
2. an officer subject to impeachment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage and applicable to the practice of law from January 26, 2004.
BACKGROUND
By law, the Superior Court can admit qualified people as attorneys in accordance with rules the judges establish for admission, qualification, practice, and removal of attorneys. Someone not admitted as an attorney cannot practice law or appear as an attorney for another in a court in Connecticut or do other things that make him appear to be an attorney admitted in this state. A violation is punishable by up to two months in prison, a fine of up to $ 250, or both and is considered contempt of court.
The law also specifies that the law prohibiting a person from practicing law in Connecticut unless admitted by the Superior Court cannot be construed to prohibit (1) a town clerk from preparing or drawing deeds, mortgages, releases, certificates of change of name, and trade name certificates recorded or filed in the clerk's office; (2) anyone from practicing law or pleading to the court in his own case; or (3) anyone from acting as an agent or representative of a party in international arbitration.