Local Rule Attorney Rule 7: ATTORNEYS CONVICTED OF CRIMES

RULE 7. ATTORNEYS CONVICTED OF CRIMES

(a) Upon the filing with this Court of a certified copy of a judgment of conviction demonstrating that any attorney admitted to practice before the Court has been convicted in any court of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or of any state, territory, commonwealth, or possession of the United States of any serious crime as herein defined, the Court shall enter an order immediately suspending that attorney, whether the conviction resulted from a plea of guilty, nolo contendere, verdict after trial, or otherwise, and regardless of the pendency of any appeal. The suspension so ordered shall remain in effect until final disposition of the disciplinary proceedings to be commenced upon such conviction. A copy of such order shall be immediately served upon the attorney. Upon good cause shown, the Court may set aside such order when it appears in the interest of justice to do so.

(1) Adjudication Withheld. Where a criminal proceeding results in an adjudication being withheld, the Court shall issue an Order to Show Cause for the attorney to respond within thirty (30) days before the issuance of any discipline.

(b) The term "serious" crime shall include any felony and any lesser crime a necessary element of which, as determined by the statutory or common law definition of such crime in the jurisdiction in which it was entered, involves false swearing, misrepresentation, fraud, deceit, bribery, extortion, misappropriation, theft, or the use of dishonesty, or an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation of another to commit a "serious crime."

(c) A certified copy of a judgment of conviction of an attorney for any crime shall be conclusive evidence of the commission of that crime in any disciplinary proceeding instituted against that attorney based on the conviction.

(d) Upon the filing of a certified copy of a judgment of conviction of an attorney for a serious crime, the Court may, in addition to suspending that attorney in accordance with the provisions of this Rule, also refer the matter to the Committee for institution of disciplinary proceedings in which the sole issue to be determined shall be the extent of the final discipline to be imposed as a result of the conduct resulting in the conviction, provided that a disciplinary proceeding so instituted will not be brought to final hearing until all appeals from the conviction are concluded.

(e) An attorney suspended under the provisions of this Rule will be reinstated immediately upon the filing of a certificate demonstrating that the underlying conviction of a serious crime has been reversed, but the reinstatement will not terminate any disciplinary proceedings then pending against the attorney, the disposition of which shall be determined by the Committee on the basis of all available evidence pertaining to both guilt and the extent of the discipline to be imposed.

Effective December 1, 1994. Amended effective April 15, 2002; April 15, 2007; April 15, 2010; December 1, 2015; December 1, 2017.