Attorney Discipline Rules: Introduction
Rules of Practice and Internal Operating Procedures of the Federal Circuit — Federal Circuit Attorney Discipline Rules
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in furtherance of its power and responsibility under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 46 and its inherent power and responsibility to supervise the conduct of attorneys who are members of its bar, promulgates the following Attorney Discipline Rules.
The rules contemplate that a disciplinary proceeding stemming from most misconduct that occurs before a merits or motions panel will be conducted by that panel. A proceeding stemming from more serious misconduct, based on conviction of a serious crime, or imposing reciprocal discipline will be conducted by a Standing Panel on Attorney Discipline composed of three judges. In conformance with Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 46, a hearing, if requested, will be available in any proceeding. The record in an ongoing proceeding will be confidential unless otherwise ordered. At the conclusion of a proceeding in which discipline is imposed, the final order and the record will be made a public record. A final order issued by a panel will be reviewable in a manner analogous to review under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 40.