Opinion
222
05-09-2022
IN RE: AMENDMENT OF RULE 219 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RULES OF DISCIPLINARY ENFORCEMENT
DISCIPLINARY RULES DOCKET
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 9th day of May, 2022, upon the recommendation of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the proposal having been submitted without publication in the interests of justice and efficient administration pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. No. 103(a)(3), IT IS ORDERED pursuant to Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania that Rule 219 of the Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement is amended in the attached form.
This ORDER shall be processed in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. No. 103(b) and shall be effective immediately.
PENNSYLVANIA RULES OF DISCIPLINARY ENFORCEMENT
Rule 219. Annual registration of attorneys.
(a) Every attorney admitted to practice law in this Commonwealth shall pay an annual fee of $195.00 and electronically file the annual fee form provided for in this rule by July 1. The fee shall be collected under the supervision of the Attorney Registration Office, which shall make the annual fee form available for filing through a link on the Board's website (http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org) or directly at https://ujsportal.pacourts.us. The said fee shall be used to defray the costs of disciplinary administration and enforcement under these rules, and for such other purposes as the Board shall, with the approval of the Supreme Court, from time to time determine. Upon an attorney's written request submitted to the Attorney Registration Office and for good cause shown, the Attorney Registration Office shall grant an exemption from the electronic filing requirement and permit the attorney to file the annual fee form in paper form. An attorney may apply to the Board for a waiver of the annual fee on the basis of financial hardship by submitting a waiver application and required documentation to the Attorney Registration Office by July 1. Financial hardship shall be determined by reference to the federal poverty guidelines.
Note: Pa.R.P.C. 1.15(u) imposes an additional annual fee for use by the IOLTA Board, and Pa.R.D.E. 502(b) imposes an additional annual fee for use by the Pennsylvania Lawyers Fund for Client Security. The grant of a waiver under this subdivision (a) shall include waiver of the additional annual fees.