Rules Governing the District of Columbia Bar, Rule XI: Disciplinary Proceedings – 2026
What happens when a complaint is made against a District of Columbia lawyer, in twenty-two sections. Section 1 sets out who is subject to discipline — every member of the D.C. Bar, anyone appearing pro hac vice, Special Legal Consultants, visiting clinical professors, and lawyers already suspended or disbarred — and records that there is no statute of limitations on a disciplinary proceeding. Section 2 states the grounds. Sections 4 through 7 build the machinery: the Board on Professional Responsibility, the Hearing Committees, Disciplinary Counsel and the Executive Attorney. Section 8 is the investigation and the hearing, section 8.1 diversion, and section 9 what the Board and the Court of Appeals do with a Hearing Committee's report. Section 10 covers discipline after a criminal conviction, section 11 reciprocal discipline imposed elsewhere, sections 12 and 12.1 disbarment by consent and negotiated discipline, and section 13 the incapacitated attorney. Sections 14 and 15 are the duties of a disbarred or suspended lawyer and the protection of clients when a lawyer becomes unavailable; section 16 is reinstatement, section 17 confidentiality, section 18 subpoenas, and section 20 the approved depositories and the IOLTA program. The Court of Appeals adopts Rule XI but the D.C. Bar publishes it, which is why it was missing.
Browse all 22 rules of the 2026 edition below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.