Ga. Ct. App. R. 9
Any member of the State Bar of Georgia may be admitted to practice in this Court upon written application, and the certificate of at least two attorneys of this Court, that the member is of good private and professional character. The oath may be administered by the Court Clerk, Court Administrator, Chief Deputy Clerk, or a Deputy Clerk. It may be taken in open court, before a judge in chambers, in the Clerk's office, or at another location in the discretion of a Court Judge or the Court Clerk. Georgia attorneys requiring immediate admission to the Court may contact the Clerk's office to obtain special admission without personally appearing to be sworn in. The Court's website has specific directions. The special admission fee is $200 in addition to the regular admission fee, payable to the Clerk of the Court of Appeals. The attorney must submit the written application with the certificate of at least two attorneys of this Court that the attorney is of good private and professional character. The form may be submitted in a PDF format to the Clerk's office. The Clerk will arrange to telephonically administer the oath. Thereafter, the attorney will provisionally be admitted pending receipt of the fee. The oath is as follows:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will conduct myself as an attorney or counselor of this Court truly and honestly, justly and uprightly, and according to law; and that I will support the Constitution of the State of Georgia and the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.
The fee for admission is $30, payable to the Clerk of the Court of Appeals of Georgia, who shall issue a license under the seal of the Court as evidence of the applicant's authority to practice.
An out-of-state attorney desiring to appear in this Court in a single case shall file an application for admission pro hac vice before making an appearance.
The application, which shall be served on all parties, shall contain the following information:
The application may be made by the attorney requesting pro hac vice appearance or a member of the Bar of this Court on behalf of the out-of-state attorney.
Each time an application for admission pro hac vice is submitted under this Rule, the applicant must send a check for $200 payable to "IOLTA/Georgia Bar Foundation." The check must be mailed directly to "The Georgia Bar Foundation, 104 Marietta Street, Suite 610, Atlanta, GA 30303." The applicant must include a certification with the application stating, "I have submitted a check for $200 to the Georgia Bar Foundation."
Persons seeking to represent an indigent party may qualify for a waiver of the fee, if counsel files a statement with the application that counsel is representing the client pro bono due to indigency.
The Court will provide electronic filing access to attorneys granted pro hac vice admission. Attorneys granted this status are required to register in the Court's eFast system and to comply with all eFast rules and requirements.
If a new attorney is substituting for an existing attorney, the new attorney must file a notice of substitution. The notice must be served on the former attorney and on opposing counsel (or opposing party if unrepresented), be signed by both the represented party and the new attorney, and include the new attorney's physical mailing address, email address, phone number, and Bar number. The former attorney need take no further action to withdraw as counsel of record for the party. The substitution may not delay the appeal of the case.
If an attorney seeks to withdraw and leave the client unrepresented, the attorney must give written notice to the client 10 days before moving the Court for permission to withdraw. The motion must be served on the client and any opposing counsel (or opposing party if unrepresented), and must contain the client's physical mailing address. If the withdrawing attorney does not know the client's current address, the motion must contain a statement to that effect and the client's last known physical address and telephone number. The motion shall state that the attorney has given written notice to the affected client setting forth the attorney's intent to withdraw, that 10 days have expired since notice, and the client's objection, consent, or failure to respond. The request to withdraw will be granted unless in the Court's discretion to do so would delay the appeal, interrupt the orderly operation of the Court, or be manifestly unfair to the client.
Any change of address, telephone number, or email address must be made by the attorney in the Court's eFast system. Attorneys are personally responsible for ensuring that their eFast profile information is up to date. The Court will not make these changes. Attorneys are encouraged to register an additional "CC" email address for their administrative assistant or another point of contact. See Rule 46, Electronic Filing of Documents.
If a paper filer (non-efiler) for either party has a change of address or telephone number during the pendency of any appeal or application, counsel shall file a notification of change of address, telephone number, or email address with the Court, notifying the Court of counsel's correct address, telephone number, or email address, and the effective date of the change.
The notification of change of address, telephone number, or email address shall be filed as a separate document with service made to opposing counsel.
Upon receipt of the notification of change of address, telephone number, or email address from a paper filer, the Clerk will enter the change of address, telephone number, or email address on the Court's docket, and all further notices generated from the Court shall be to counsel's new address.
Failure of a party to properly notify the Court of any change of address, telephone number, or email address, which may result in a party not receiving notification of Court action, shall not be grounds to reinstate or reconsider any matter adverse to the party.
The Court of Appeals does not recognize or grant leaves of court or leaves of absence.
An attorney's admission to practice before the Court of Appeals may be revoked if, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, past-due fees remain unpaid for 30 days.
Appearance and Argument before the Court of Appeals of Georgia by Registered Law School Graduates.
Law students registered and authorized to practice provisionally under the Supreme Court of Georgia's Student Practice Rules 91-96 ("Registered Law Students") and law school graduates registered and provisionally authorized to practice under the Supreme Court of Georgia's Law School Graduate Rules 97-103 ("Registered Law School Graduates") or any applicable Supreme Court of Georgia Order may co-author and sign pleadings filed in this Court, so long as such Registered Law Students or Registered Law School Graduates indicate their status on the signature line and their supervising attorney co-signs the pleadings. The supervising attorney must be admitted to practice in this Court and must comply with the Supreme Court of Georgia's applicable Registered Law Students and Registered Law School Graduates supervision rules (including those required by applicable orders of the Supreme Court of Georgia).
Upon leave of Court, Registered Law Students and Registered Law School Graduates may be authorized to present oral arguments, provided that their supervising attorney signs or co-signs the oral argument motion and includes within that motion, in addition to the requirements of Rule 28, the following:
The name of the Registered Law Student or Registered Law School Graduate seeking to argue The extent of attorney supervision in preparing the Registered Law Student or Registered Law School Graduate for argument, and A statement that the supervising attorney will be physically present with the Registered Law Student or Registered Law School Graduate (whether both will appear in person or, with permission, appear remotely) during oral argument and prepared to assume or supplement any oral argument made by the Registered Law Student or Registered Law School Graduate.The Court must give specific approval for the Registered Law Student's or Registered Law School Graduate's participation in oral argument, which shall be sought by oral argument request or separate motion.
Ga. Ct. App. 9