Local Rule LCrR 57.26: OBLIGATIONS OF ATTORNEYS

LCrR 57.26 OBLIGATIONS OF ATTORNEYS

(a) RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

Violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct (as adopted by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals except as otherwise provided by specific Rule of this Court) by attorneys subject to these Rules shall be grounds for discipline, whether or not the act or omission occurred in the course of an attorney-client relationship.

(b) DUTY TO NOTIFY THE COURT.

It shall be the duty of each attorney subject to these Rules to notify promptly the Clerk of this Court of:

(1) conviction for any crime other than minor traffic offenses, giving the name of the court in which the attorney was convicted, the date of conviction, docket number, the offense for which the attorney was convicted and the sentence;

(2) any disbarment, suspension or other public discipline imposed by any federal, state or local court, giving the name of the court, the date of such disbarment, suspension or other public discipline, the docket number, and a description of the discipline imposed and the offense committed in connection therewith; or any disbarment by consent or resignation while an investigation into allegations of misconduct is pending;

(3) whether the attorney has ever been held in contempt of court and if so, the nature of the contempt and the final disposition thereof; and

(4) any change in the attorney's office address or telephone number as provided for in (c) below.

Failure to provide the notice required by this paragraph may constitute a separate ground for discipline.

(c) CHANGES IN ADDRESS.

Notice to the Clerk of any change in the attorney's address or telephone number (see (b)(4) above) shall be filed in writing within 14 days of the change. The attorney shall also within 14 days file a praecipe reflecting such change in each case which the attorney has pending before this Court, serving a copy upon each of the attorneys in these cases.

(d) DUTIES OF THE CLERK UPON NOTIFICATION.

Upon being informed that an attorney subject to these Rules has been convicted of any crime, disciplined by any court, held in contempt by any court, disbarred by consent, or resigned from any Bar pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct, the Clerk shall promptly obtain a certified or exemplified copy of such conviction, disciplinary judgment or other court order and present it to the Committee which shall proceed in accordance with these Rules.

COMMENT TO LCrR 57.26: Section (b) combines several former Rules relating to an attorney's obligations under these Rules to notify the Court of certain facts: (1) conviction of crime; (2) disbarment, suspension or public discipline; (3) citation for contempt; and (4) change in address or telephone number. The duty of notification in LCrR 57.26(b) regarding public discipline does not include sanctions imposed under civil rules other than contempt as specified in subsection (b)(3). Failure to provide notice may constitute grounds for disciplinary action.

Section (c) has been added to impose on the Clerk to the Grievance Committee the duty to obtain a certified or exemplified copy of such conviction, disciplinary judgment or court order.