Georgia CommonsOne of several opinions in docket S20Y0209. The docket address /opinions/S20Y0209 shows the most recent.
In the Matter of Muhammad Abdul-Warit Abdur-Rahim
Filed February 8, 2023 · Docket S20Y0209 · 315 Ga. 586
The Supreme Court of Georgia suspended attorney Muhammad Abdul-Warit Abdur-Rahim from practicing law after he failed to show up to receive a disciplinary reprimand the court had already ordered.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the opinion and are not part of it. Quote the opinion, not the summary.
In plain language
Muhammad Abdul-Warit Abdur-Rahim is a Georgia lawyer who admitted violating a rule of professional conduct dealing with communicating with represented parties. Back in April 2020, the Supreme Court of Georgia accepted his request for voluntary discipline and ordered him to receive a formal reprimand from the State Disciplinary Review Board, a lighter form of punishment than suspension or disbarment. Abdur-Rahim was told when and where to show up for that reprimand, but he did not appear. Because he skipped the reprimand, the State Bar asked the court to suspend him from practicing law. The court agreed and suspended him effective immediately, with the suspension to last until he actually appears for and receives the reprimand and the State Bar confirms that to the court.
What the court decided
Because Abdur-Rahim failed to appear for the reprimand the court had already ordered, the court suspended him from practicing law effective immediately, with the suspension to remain in place until he appears for the reprimand and the State Bar confirms it was administered.
Why it matters
The ruling means Abdur-Rahim cannot practice law in Georgia until he completes a simple administrative step: showing up for his reprimand. It also signals to other Georgia lawyers that ignoring scheduled discipline proceedings carries its own separate consequence.
Outcome
Suspended until reprimand administered
How the court got there
- The court had earlier accepted Abdur-Rahim's petition for voluntary discipline, in which he admitted violating Rule 3.5 (d) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, a rule governing improper communication with jurors or parties, and ordered a formal reprimand as the punishment.
- Abdur-Rahim was notified of the specific date and time to appear for that reprimand but did not show up.
- Under Bar Rule 4-109, which allows the court to suspend a lawyer who fails to complete an ordered disciplinary step, the court suspended Abdur-Rahim from practicing law starting on the date of this opinion.
- The court set the suspension to last only until Abdur-Rahim actually appears for and receives the reprimand and the State Bar confirms to the court that this happened, at which point the State Bar must ask the court to lift the suspension.
Topics
- attorney discipline
- State Bar of Georgia
- law license suspension
- failure to appear for reprimand