Rule 15 Criminal Activity

A. Reporting Determinations of Guilt. All prosecuting attorneys and judges participating in or presiding over a proceeding in which an attorney pleaded guilty to, entered a nolo contendere plea to, or has been found guilty of a Serious Crime in any jurisdiction shall have the duty to report such conviction or plea to the Executive Director. B. Notification of Possible Criminal Activity. When, in connection with an investigation or a hearing, either the Office of Professional Conduct or the Committee is presented with any substantial evidence of criminal conduct by any party which would constitute a Serious Crime in any jurisdiction, the Office of Professional Conduct, on its own initiative or at the direction of the Committee, shall notify the appropriate state or federal prosecutorial authority. C. Procedures for Disbarment.

(1) When a complaint against an attorney is based on a conviction in any jurisdiction of, or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere in any jurisdiction to, a Serious Crime, or a crime which also violates Rule 8.4 (b) of the Rules, the Committee shall institute disbarment proceedings.

(2) Actions for disbarment based on the conviction of a crime or on a plea of guilty or nolo contendere shall proceed in accordance with the procedures in Section 13 of these Procedures.

(3) A certified copy of the judgment of conviction or of evidence of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere shall be conclusive evidence of the attorney's guilt.

(4) The attorney may not offer evidence inconsistent with the essential elements of the crime for which he or she was convicted.