ARTICLE 12. Incapacity to Attend to Law Practice—Jurisdiction of Courts [6190. - 6190.6.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 12.
in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6190. Section 6190.

The courts of the state shall have the jurisdiction as provided in this article when an attorney engaged in the practice of law in this state has, for any reason, including but not limited to excessive use of alcohol or drugs, physical or mental illness, or other infirmity or other cause, become incapable of devoting the time and attention to, and providing the quality of service for, his or her law practice which is necessary to protect the interest of a client if there is an unfinished client matter for which no other active licensee of the State Bar, with the consent of the client, has agreed to assume responsibility.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6190.1. Section 6190.1.

(a) An application for assumption by the court of jurisdiction under this article shall be made to the superior court for the county where the attorney maintains or most recently has maintained his or her principal office for the practice of law or where such attorney resides. The court may assume jurisdiction over the law practice of an attorney to the extent provided in Article 11 (commencing with Section 6180) of Chapter 4 of Division 3. (b) Where an attorney consents to the assumption by the court of jurisdiction under the article, the State Bar, a client, or an interested person or entity may apply to the court for assumption of jurisdiction over the law practice of the attorney. In any proceeding under this subdivision, the State Bar shall be permitted to intervene and to assume primary responsibility for conducting the action. (c) Where an attorney does not consent to the assumption by the court of jurisdiction under this article, only the State Bar may apply to the court for assumption of jurisdiction over the law practice of the attorney. (d) The chief trial counsel may appoint, pursuant to rules adopted by the board of trustees, an examiner or coexaminer from among the licensees of the State Bar in an investigation or formal proceeding under this article.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6190.2. Section 6190.2.

The application shall be verified and shall state facts showing each of the following: (a) Probable cause to believe that the facts set forth in Section 6190 have occurred. (b) The interest of the applicant. (c) Probable cause to believe that the interests of the client or of an interested person or entity will be prejudiced if the proceeding herein provided is not maintained.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6190.3. Section 6190.3.

The application shall be set for hearing. A copy of the application and notice of the hearing shall be served upon the attorney by personal delivery or, as an alternate method of service, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the attorney at the latest address shown on the official licensing records of the State Bar. Service is complete at the time of mailing, but any prescribed period of notice and any right or duty to do any act or make any response within that prescribed period or on a date certain after notice is served by mail shall be extended five days if the place of address is within the State of California, 10 days if the place of address is outside the State of California but within the United States, and 20 days if the place of address is outside the United States. If the attorney has a guardian or conservator, copies shall also be served upon such fiduciary in similar manner. If the State Bar is not an applicant, copies shall also be served upon the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar in similar manner at the time of service on the attorney. The court may prescribe additional or alternative methods of service of the application and notice, and may prescribe methods of notifying and serving notices and process upon other persons and entities in cases not specifically provided for herein.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6190.34. Section 6190.34.

If the court finds that (a) the facts set forth in Section 6190 have occurred and, (b) that the interests of the client, or of an interested person or entity will be prejudiced if the proceeding provided herein is not maintained, the court shall order the applicant to mail a notice of cessation of law practice pursuant to Section 6180.1 and may make all orders provided for by the provisions of Article 11 (commencing with Section 6180) of Chapter 4 of Division 3. The court shall provide a copy of any order issued pursuant to this article to the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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