Lebbos

In this case we hold that the forwarding of complaints of clients against a lawyer by a county bar association to the State Bar of California and the State Bar’s investigation of those complaints does not violate the civil rights of the lawyer. The county bar association and its officers, and the State Bar and its employees who investigate the complaints, are pro tected by the absolute privilege granted by Civil Code section 47, subdivision 2. Additionally, we hold that an investigation of such complaints by the State Bar does not constitute a prosecution and is insufficient to constitute the basis for a cause of action for malicious prosecution.

Plaintiff Betsy Warren Lebbos appeals from judgments in favor of defendants the State Bar of California (State Bar), its employees Michael Conklin, Lily Barry, and David Frey (State Bar defendants), the Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA), and its officers Fred Wool, Gerald Rosenblum, Phillip Hammer, and Robert Moore (SCCBA defendants). The judgments were entered after the trial court sustained defendants’ demurrers to Lebbos’ third amended complaint without leave to amend. We affirm the judgments.

Lebbos is an attorney…