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> Nothing precludes a non-lawyer from reporting an attorney's misconduct. However, the fact that they cannot be compelled to by statute irrefutably proves my point: that the practice of law must be (self-)regulated.

Failure to report a crime is a crime. For everybody.



Failure to report a crime is a crime. For everybody.

That's not true. In the US the offence still exists, but:

This offense, however, requires active concealment of a known felony rather than merely failing to report it.[1]

In most other English speaking jurisdictions the crime itself has been abolished.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misprision_of_felony


Irrelevant. Violation of a legal obligation is not the same thing as commission of a crime. An act may simultaneously be a violation of legal ethics and a crime, but usually not. Ethics violations are punishable by, amongst other things, civil sanctions, fines and disbarment, but not criminal penalties.




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