Complaints toThe Disciplinary Board of Advocates

[andyp]

I had a complaint registered/accepted against my former advocate, lets call her The Stigette, in respect of a forged property contract by The Law Office of The Republic on 17 July 2009. In a letter from Petros Clerides The Attorney General of The Republic dated 10 June 2010 I was advised that " it was justified to carry out an investigation.." .

Having written to the AG on a regular basis with only two responses to date ( and no decision) I just wondered if such procrastination was a record or is there more sinister goings on in Cyprus.

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi andyp,

The Bar Association appears to be more of a union that represents its members rather than an organisation that deals effectively with complaints against lawyers.

If the Bar Association is not dealing with the matter conscientiously, write to the Ombudswoman and your MEP.

Regards,

[andyp]

Thanks Nigel. I could not agree more with your assessment of The Cyprus Bar Association.

My MEP, Alyn Smith, is kept up to date with my progress or rather lack thereof.

I have however translated the Ombudsman's information pages and recently submitted a complaint. However in the small print it seems to suggest that cases against The AG are outwith their remit. I suspect the answer I will get back is that as The Cyprus Disciplinary Board of Advocates is chaired by the AG they will not investigate and I will be stuck on the merry go round with no brakes.

I will let you know if I am proved wrong.

Regards

[Scots Lad]

Nigel,

AndyP is correct the Office off Ombudswoman do not involve/interfere with lawyers, They replied to my complaints that this was a matter for the AG/Disciplinary board as they do not have remit on this.

As many off have found when trying to deal with rogue lawyers in Cyprus The AG/CBA act as you have stated a trade union to protect its members they are not concerned that clients have been wronged.

What I find strange is on many cases the lawyers have commited Criminal acts, So why should a disciplinary board deal with this surely they should pass the evidence to the police and state prosecutors who should protect the victims ?

But as it appears the Disciplinary Board have never found a lawyer guilty does that mean the board is holding back evidence on criminals from the State ?

[andyp]

As yet Scots lad I have not received a response but assume that is correct from what I have read.

I did ask myself the same question, as did my non Cypriot advocate, what has all this to do with a Bar Association as I was reporting, in my opinion,a crime of forging legal documents. If I had reported my allegations to their Bar it would have been passed to The Police for investigation.

For information I did report this to The Paphos Police, and even went to the trouble of having my complaint written down in Greek. The police were not particularly interested and I was advised that " forgery in itself is not a crime in Cyprus". I will never forget these words. Having asked why I was told "who do you think writes these laws". Again words I will never forget.

So I now await The Cyprus Bar Association making a decision against one of their own. Is that a flying pig I see.

Forum members in my position or any other position should therefore not expect the police to become involved where a lawyer is at the heart of the problem. They, in my opinion, take care of their own at the expense of everyone else and indeed the Law.
How can forgery of a legal document not be a crime in any country? Anyone heard otherwise?

[andyp]

As a warning I should also have stated that as a direct result of these forged,in my opinion, legal documents I have been landed me with a 64,000CYP developers mortgage.

Cynical maybe but trust no one, not even your own lawyer.

[Scots Lad]

Andyp I have the same problem a Sales Contract, Forged/changed and no record off where the purchase price has gone with a Encumberance off 186000 Euros added.

Now The role off the CBA has been to delay and obstruct justice has been served on there members. My advocate has the same opinion as yours, That the CBA Disciplinary Board has no place in dealing with criminal cases.

[andyp]

Sorry to hear that Scots Lad. We are probably not alone.

I think you could safely say that the CBA, having done nothing for nearly two years in my case, clearly demonstrates their determination to protect their members. How they are able to hold themselves out as a court of law where their members are involved in alleged criminal activities is beyond me.

Best of luck

[Scots Lad]

This is the problem the Disciplinary Board faces AndyP how can they give a judgement in our cases when the lawyers have with intent commited fraud to gain money !!

So they adopt the head in the sand procedure, delays trying all tricks in the hope they can trick the victims

[andyp]

As I said Scots Lad I have no idea how a disciplinary board can seemingly act as a court of law.

And yes we have all heard those words "but this is Cyprus" About time Cyprus joined the rest of the world.

Melwill has made some relevant posts!!!

[Scots Lad]

It is clear that there is many victims off criminal actions by lawyers, and what is happening is the victims are being sent to the Disciplinary Board chaired by the AG, the victim is then made to wait for years, as the board (if it even meets ?) so far it appears for at least 5 years nobody has been found guilty.

AndyP lawyer has already been in prison for motoring offenses, pardoned by the President after the AG asked.

This person though has many victims off her sheer criminality, shame the AG does not petition the president for them.

My lawyer is the head of the lawyers in his district he to has made victims off his clients.

NB All people who feel there lawyer has commited criminal acts against them and feel that the Disciplinary Board is either not the right body to deal with this or feel they are not getting justice.

Contact Alyn Smyth MEP who will fight for you, Also if anybody who feels the Disciplinary Board dealt with them fairly please post, to eliminate the view that the AG/Disciplinary board is protecting Rogue lawyers.

[Scots Lad]

Does anybody have knowledge of the Board finding in favor for the complainer ?

[Nigel Howarth]

Does anybody have knowledge of the Board finding in favor for the complainer ?

I know of one case.

Regards,

[Scots Lad]

Nigel,

I know you cannot give names but could you give the Year and a brief outline off the complaint ?

[Nigel Howarth]

It was last year.

Regards,