Advisory Opinions
Approved Redrafted Opinion Information
The Standards of Conduct, Ethical Considerations (ECs) and Directory Rules (DRs) were superceded by the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct on January 1, 2001. The original sixty-seven (67) Standards of Conduct adopted by the Supreme Court of Georgia in 1979 can be found at 238 Ga. 213. Subsequently adopted Standards and Amendments can be found in copies of the Georgia Reports. The ECs and DRs can be found in the July 8, 1971 minutes of the Supreme Court of Georgia. The Standards, ECs and DRs also appear on the State Bar of Georgia's website.
Following the issuance of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct by the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Office of the General Counsel for the State Bar of Georgia requested that the Formal Advisory Opinion Board review each Opinion issued by the Supreme Court of Georgia to determine the impact, if any, the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct have on the Opinions.
For certain existing Formal Advisory Opinions that were issued by the Supreme Court of Georgia, like this one, it is the opinion of the Formal Advisory Opinion Board that the substance and/or the conclusion reached under the Standards, ECs and/or DRs has changed under the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. The Formal Advisory Opinion Board has redrafted the original opinion. The redrafted opinion includes an interpretation of the same issue(s) addressed in the original opinion and references the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. The redrafted opinion was processed and published in compliance with Bar Rule 4-403(c). The Supreme Court has approved the redrafted opinion and issued it as the replacement for the original opinion.