GEORGIA COURT RULES
UNIFORM SUPERIOR COURT RULES
Rule 4. Attorneys Appearance, withdrawal and duties.
Rule 4.2. Entry of appearance and pleadings.
No attorney shall appear in that capacity before a superior court until the attorney has entered an appearance by filing a signed entry of appearance form or by filing a signed pleading in a pending action. An entry of appearance and all pleadings shall state:
(1) the style and number of the case;
(2) the identity of the party for whom the appearance is made; and
(3) the name, assigned state bar number, and current office address and telephone number of the attorney.
The filing of any pleading shall contain the information required by this paragraph and shall constitute an appearance by the person(s) signing such pleading, unless otherwise specified by the court. The filing of a signed entry of appearance alone shall not be a substitute for the filing of an answer or any other required pleading. The filing of an indictment or accusation shall constitute an entry of appearance by the district attorney.
Any attorney who has been admitted to practice in this state but who fails to maintain active membership in good standing in the State Bar of Georgia and who makes or files any appearance or pleading in a superior court of this state while not in good standing shall be subject to the contempt powers of the court.
Within forty eight hours after being retained, an attorney shall mail to the court and opposing counsel or file with the court the entry of his appearance in the pending matter. Failure to timely file shall not prohibit the appearance and representation by said counsel.
Rule 4.3. Withdrawal.
(a) An attorney appearing of record in any action pending in any superior
court, who wishes to withdraw as counsel for any party therein, shall submit
a written request to an appropriate judge of the court for an order of court
permitting such withdrawal.
Such request shall state that the attorney has
given due written notice to the affected client respecting such intention to
withdraw 10 days (or such lesser time as the court may permit in any specific
instance) prior to submitting the request to the court or that such withdrawal
is with the client's consent.
Such request will be granted unless in the judge's
discretion to do so would delay the trial of the action or otherwise interrupt
the orderly operation of the court or be manifestly unfair to the client.
The
attorney requesting an order permitting withdrawal shall give notice to opposing
counsel and shall file with the clerk in each such action and serve upon the
client, personally or at that client's last known address, a notice which shall
contain at least the following information:
(A) That the attorney wishes to withdraw;
(B) That the court retains jurisdiction of the action;
(C) That the client has the burden of keeping the court informed respecting where notices, pleadings or other papers may be served;
(D) That the client has the obligation to prepare for trial or hire other counsel to prepare for trial when the trial date has been set
(E) That if the client fails or refuses to meet these burdens, the client may suffer adverse consequences, including, in criminal cases, bond forfeiture and arrest;
(F) The dates of any scheduled proceedings, including trial, and that holding of such proceedings will not be affected by the withdrawal of counsel;
(G) That service of notices may be made upon the client at the client's last known address, and,
(H) If the client is a corporation, that a corporation may only be represented in court by an attorney, that an attorney must sign all pleadings submitted to the court, and that a corporate officer may not represent the corporation in court unless that officer is also an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Georgia;
(I) Unless the withdrawal is with the client's consent, the client's right to object within 10 days of the date of the notice.
The attorney seeking to withdraw shall prepare a written notification certificate
stating that the above notification requirements have been met, the manner
by which such notification was given to the client and the client's last known
address and telephone number.
The notification certificate shall be filed with
the court and a copy mailed to the client and all other parties.
The client
shall have 10 days prior to entry of an order permitting withdrawal or such
lesser time as the court may permit within which to file objections to the
withdrawal.
After the entry of an order permitting withdrawal, the client shall
be notified by the withdrawing attorney of the effective date of the withdrawal;
thereafter all notices or other papers may be served on the party directly
by mail at the last known address of the party until new counsel enters an
appearance.
Rule 4.5. Entries of appearance and withdrawals by members or employees of law firms or professional corporations.
The entry of an appearance or request for withdrawal by an attorney who is
a member or an employee of a law firm or professional corporation shall relieve
the other members or employees of the same law firm or professional corporation
from the necessity of filing additional entries of appearance or requests for
withdrawal in the same action.
Rule 4.6. To notify of representation.
In any matter pending in a superior court, promptly upon agreeing to represent any client, the new attorney shall notify the appropriate calendar clerk in writing (and, in criminal actions, the district attorney; and, in civil actions the opposing attorney(s)) of the fact of such representation, the name of the client, the name and number of the action, the attorneys firm name, office address and telephone number.
Each such attorney shall notify the calendar clerk (and, in criminal actions, the district attorney; and, in civil actions, the opposing attorney(s)) immediately upon any change of representation, name, address or telephone number.
Rule 4.12. Binding authority.
Attorneys of record have apparent authority to enter into agreements on behalf of their clients in civil actions. Oral agreements, if established, are enforceable.