Opinion
No. 2004-02.
Decided January 26, 2004.
On order of the Court, Rule 4 of the Rules Concerning the State Bar of Michigan is amended, effective immediately. This matter will be on the agenda of a future public administrative hearing. The notices and schedules for such a hearing are posted atwww.courts.mi.gov/supremecourt well in advance of the hearing, along with instructions for reserving time to address the Court in person.
[Additions are indicated below by underlining and deletions are indicated by strikeover.]
Rule 4 Membership Dues
(A)-(B) [Unchanged.]
(C) Dues notices must be sent to all members before September 20. A $50 late charge will be added to a dues payment postmarked after November 30. The State Bar must send a written notice of delinquency (by registered or certified mail to the last recorded business address provided as required by Rule 2) to a member who fails to pay dues by November 30. Active members must be notified by registered or certified mail. Inactive members must be notified by first class mail. If the dues and the late charge are not paid within 30 days after the notice is sent, the individual is suspended from membership in the State Bar. If an individual is not subject to a disciplinary order and the suspension is for less than 3 years, the member will be reinstated on the payment of dues, a $100 reinstatement fee, and late charges owing from the date of the suspension to the date of the reinstatement. If the suspension is for 3 years or more, the individual must also apply for recertification under Rule 8 for the Board of Law Examiners.
(D)-(F) [Unchanged.]
Staff Comment: The January 26, 2004, amendment of Rule 4(C), of the Rules Concerning the State Bar of Michigan, which was given immediate effect, was based on a recommendation from the Executive Director of the State Bar of Michigan. The amendment permits the Bar to send notice of nonpayment of dues to inactive members by first class mail. The Bar is still required to send notice of nonpayment of dues to active members by registered or certified mail to the last recorded address.
The staff comment is published only for the benefit of the bench and bar and is not an authoritative construction by the Court.