House Bill 1433
By: Representatives Gullett of the 19th and Burchett of the 176th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 3 of Chapter 19 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the regulation of practice of law, so as to make certain acts of the unauthorized
practice of law felonies and to provide for penalties therefore; to provide for related matters;
to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 3 of Chapter 19 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
regulation of practice of law, is amended by revising Code Section 15-19-56, relating to
penalty for prohibited conduct, as follows:
"15-19-56.
(a) Any person, corporation, or voluntary association violating Code Section <del>15-19-51,
15-19-53,</del> 15-19-54, or 15-19-55 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) Every officer, trustee, director, agent, or employee of a corporation or voluntary
association who directly or indirectly engages in any of the acts prohibited in Code Section
<del>15-19-51, 15-19-53,</del> 15-19-54, or 15-19-55 or assists a corporation or voluntary association
in performing the prohibited acts shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The fact that the person
is a duly and regularly admitted attorney at law shall not be held to permit or allow the
corporation or voluntary association to do the acts prohibited in such Code sections, nor
shall <del>the</del> <ins>such</ins> fact be a defense upon the trial of any person mentioned therein for a
violation of those Code sections. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent any court having
jurisdiction from punishing the corporation or its officers for contempt.
<ins>(c) Any person, corporation, or voluntary association violating Code Section 15-19-51 or
15-19-53 shall be guilty of a felony and, upon the first conviction thereof, shall be punished
by imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than three years, a fine of not less than
$50,000.00 nor more than $250,000.00, or both. For a second or subsequent conviction,
the punishment shall be imprisonment of not less than two years nor more than ten years,
a fine of not less than $250,000.00 nor more than $1 million, or both.
(d) Every officer, trustee, director, agent, or employee of a corporation or voluntary
association who directly or indirectly engages in any of the acts prohibited in Code Section
15-19-51 or 15-19-53 or assists a corporation or voluntary association in performing the
prohibited acts shall be guilty of a felony and, upon the first conviction thereof, shall be
punished by imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than three years, a fine of not
less than $50,000.00 nor more than $250,000.00, or both. For a second or subsequent
conviction, the punishment shall be imprisonment of not less than two years nor more than
ten years, a fine of not less than $250,000.00 nor more than $1 million, or both. The fact
that the person is a duly and regularly admitted attorney at law shall not be held to permit
or allow the corporation or voluntary association to do the acts prohibited in such Code
sections, nor shall such fact be a defense upon the trial of any person mentioned therein for
a violation of those Code sections. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent any court
having jurisdiction from punishing the corporation or its officers for contempt."
</ins>
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all offenses committed
on or after such date.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.