Local Rule D.C.COLO.LAttyR 6: DISCIPLINARY PANEL AND COMMITTEE ON CONDUCT

D.C.COLO.LAttyR 6 DISCIPLINARY PANEL AND COMMITTEE ON CONDUCT

(a) Disciplinary Panel. The Chief Judge shall appoint a panel of three judicial officers to constitute the Disciplinary Panel (the Panel). The Panel shall have jurisdiction over all judicial proceedings involving disbarment, suspension, censure, or other attorney discipline. The Chief Judge may designate additional judicial officers to serve as alternates on the Panel.

(b) Committee on Conduct. The court has established a standing Committee on Conduct (the Committee) consisting of 12 members of the bar of this court. Each member shall be appointed for three years and until a successor is appointed. No member of the Committee shall serve more than two consecutive terms. Additional members may be appointed by the court. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the unexpired term of his or her predecessor. If a member serves beyond expiration of the appointed term, the additional time served shall be chargeable to the successor member. The court shall designate a chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Committee. The vice-chairperson shall act during the absence or disability of the chairperson. Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation, but when practicable their necessary expenses shall be paid by the clerk from the fund in which admission and annual registration fees paid by members of the bar are deposited. To be eligible for appointment to the Committee, an attorney shall certify that the attorney satisfies the following:

(1) has been practicing law for at least 10 years, with no discipline imposed;

(2) has been a member of and in good standing with the bar of this court for at least 5 years, with no discipline imposed;

(3) has experience that makes the applicant especially qualified to investigate matters governed by the disciplinary rules of the court and the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct.

(c) Duties of the Committee. The Committee shall receive, investigate, consider, and act on complaints against members of the bar of this court, applications for reinstatement or readmission, applications for relief from the rule of good standing, and allegations that a member of the bar of this court is incapable of practicing law due to a disability, including, but not limited to, physical or mental disability or substance abuse. The chairperson shall appoint one or more members to present and prosecute charges and to prepare orders and judgments as directed by the Panel. The Committee is authorized to report any information consistent with the objectives of this rule to the authorized disciplinary body of any bar or court where the applicant or respondent attorney is admitted. The Committee may perform any additional duties implied by these rules or assigned by order of the Panel.

(d) Abstention and Disqualification of Current and Former Committee Member. A Committee member shall refrain from participating in any disciplinary proceedings in which a judge, similarly situated, would be required to recuse. A Committee member shall not represent an attorney in any matter before the Committee. A former Committee member shall not represent any attorney investigated or prosecuted during the former Committee member's term on the Committee.