More than half of the money collected by the Ohio Supreme Court’s Attorney Services Fund in fiscal year 2014 went to support the attorney discipline process, according to an annual report published today.

The money in the fund comes from attorney registration, late registration, and reinstatement fees. The fund also receives revenue from other sources as outlined in the Rules for the Government of the Bar.

The Supreme Court allocated $9.4 million from the Attorney Services Fund at the beginning of fiscal year 2014, July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. According to the report, the fund expended nearly $8.7 million. That total includes a little more than $5 million for disciplinary-related expenses:  $2.5 million for the operations of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; more than $600,000 to the Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline; and an additional $1.8 million to reimburse local bar association certified grievance committees.

The fund also supported:

• The administration of the Attorney Services Division, which oversees the delivery of services to Ohio attorneys and assists the Supreme Court in the exercise of its constitutional duty to regulate the practice of law.
• The Clients’ Security Fund to compensate clients of dishonest attorneys.
• The Reporter of Decisions to publish attorney discipline legal notices in newspapers.

The fund also provided grants to the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation to support legal services for low-income Ohioans, and to the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program to provide intervention services to lawyers, judges, and law students who suffer from alcoholism, substance abuse, or mental illness.

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