Rule 612 Immunity

This rule protects people who take part in judicial conduct cases from being sued for what they say or do during the process. Anyone who files a complaint, gives a report, or testifies during these proceedings is treated as if they are speaking in a courtroom trial. This means they cannot be sued for defamation or similar claims based on what they said during the process.

The rule also gives extra protection to certain people who run the system. Members of the Commission and its panels, along with the Examiner, the Secretary, and the Secretary's staff, get full immunity from lawsuits for anything they do while performing their official duties. This means they cannot be held legally responsible for actions they take as part of their job in handling these cases.

The purpose of this rule is to let people speak honestly during judicial conduct proceedings without fear of being punished with a lawsuit later. It also lets officials do their jobs, like investigating and deciding complaints, without worrying about being sued for doing their work.