What is pro hac vice? Diddy's lawyers accuse Tony Buzbee of misconduct, unauthorized practice of law

Diddy's legal team has recently filed a new motion against Tony Buzbee to oppose his motion for admission to practice law pro hac vice in the Southern District of New York.

According to Cornell Law School, pro hac vice is a legal term that enables an attorney to represent a case outside of the jurisdiction of their legal license without committing unauthorized practice of law. The term first came into existence in the 1735 free speech case and has since frequently appeared in high-profile trials.

The purpose of pro hac vice is to resolve the growing need to practice across state lines without harming the interest of local courts. Almost all US jurisdictions require attorneys practicing pro hac vice to have a local lawyer present in the courtroom, providing counsel.

The new filing by Diddy's team also contains other accusations aimed at the attorney, including professional misconduct, unauthorized practice of law, and violations of court rules.

Per AllHipHop, Tony Buzbee's petition for admission has already been denied by the Southern District of New York once earlier this month - on February 13. The reason behind the denial was the attorney appearing in cases without seeking proper admission first, the media outlet reports.

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Diddy's filing claims Tony Buzbee's "extrajudicial statements" can prejudice the rapper's case

In the new filing, Diddy's attorneys claim that Tony Buzbee has signed multiple filings across 22 cases without having permission to practice in the court. They've also accused the attorney of failing to disclose that he had filed without being admitted in each instance.

Their filing reads:

"In our collective decades of practice, undersigned counsel have never opposed a pro hac vice application, and we do not do so lightly here... But Buzbee’s egregious misconduct warrants denial of the privilege of appearing in this District."

Elsewhere in the filing, Combs' legal team also accuses Tony Buzbee of repeatedly insisting on the hip-hop mogul's guilt without a good faith basis, while his trial remains pending. Their filing states:

"Even though none of Mr. Buzbee’s clients is expected to testify at Mr. Combs’ criminal trial. Mr. Buzbee’s extrajudicial statements here are likely to prejudice Mr. Combs’ criminal case as they unambiguously express ‘opinion as to the guilt or innocence of a defendant."

Per The Mirror US, Sean Combs' legal filing also claims that Tony Buzbee has "inappropriately commented" on the rapper's pending litigation media appearances, press conferences, and social media posts, which violates his "professional and ethical obligations".

The media outlet has reached out to Tony Buzbee for a comment but has yet to receive one.

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Diddy has denied all the allegations made against him in lawsuits

Diddy, who is currently being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, has denied all the allegations made against him in multiple lawsuits.

His attorney, Erica Wolff issued a statement on the rapper's behalf back in October 2024, which read:

"We cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus. That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors."

The statement continued:

"He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation."

Per BBC, the Satisfy You rapper was arrested in New York on September 16, 2024, on charges of racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in pr*stitution.

His legal indictment also states that the 55-year-old used his resources, influence, and employees to create a "criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, s*x trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice".

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Diddy's trial is scheduled to begin in New York on May 5, 2025.