Chap. 354.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 3196 of chapter 154 of the
Code, as amended by an act entitled “an act to amend and re-enact sections 3195
and 3196 of the Code of Virginia, and to repeal section 3197 of same Code, in
reference to disbarring attorneys at law,” approved March 7, 1900.

Approved December 8, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
thirty-one hundred and ninety-six of chapter one hundred and fifty-four
of the Code, as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled “an act to
amend and re-enact sections thirty-one hundred and ninety-five and
thirty-one hundred and ninety-six of the Code of Virginia, and to repeal
section thirty-one hundred and ninety-seven of same Code, in reference
to disbarring attorneys at law,” approved March seventh, nincteen hun-
dred, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 3196. When suspended or annulled for malpractice.—If the supreme
court of appeals or any court of record of this State observe any mal-
practice or any corrupt or unprofessional conduct therein by any at-
torney, or if complaint, verified by affidavit, be made to any such court
of malpractice or of corrupt or unprofessional conduct by any attorney
therein, or if complaint, verified by affidavit, be made to any court of
record (other than the supreme court of appeals) of any malpractice or
any corrupt or unprofessional conduct by any attorney practicing therein,
such court shall issue a rule against such attorney to show cause why
his license to practice law shall not be revoked or suspended. Upon the
return of such rule a jury shall be empanelled, when required by the de-
fendant, and if he be found guilty by the court or by the jury, where one
is empanelled, his license to practice in such court shall be revoked, or
suspended, for such time as the court may prescribe. When the case is in
the supreme court of appeals the court shall direct one of its officers to
summon a jury from the county or corporation in which said court is then
being held, to be empanelled and paid as in cases of misdemeanor in
the circuit or corporation court; and any revocation or suspension of li-
cense by said supreme court of appeals shall operate and be effective in all
the courts of this Commonwealth.

The words “any malpractice or any corrupt or unprofessional conduct,”
as used in this section, shall be construed to include the failure without
sufficient cause, within a reasonable time after demand, of any attorney
at law to pay over and deliver to the person entitled thereto, within a
reasonable time, any money, security, or other property which has come
into his hands as such attorney. In any proceedings to revoke or sus-
pend the license of an attorney under this or the preceding section, the
complainant shall be entitled to representation by counsel.

2. This act shall be in force on and after the first day of February,
nineteen hundred and four.