9 Rule 17 Dissemination of Disciplinary Information [Effective until July 1, 2026]

A. Notice to Disciplinary Agencies and National Discipline Data Bank. Disciplinary counsel shall transmit notice of public discipline, transfers to or from disability inactive status, reinstatements, and certificates of conviction to the disciplinary enforcement agency of any other jurisdiction in which the respondent is admitted, as well as to the National Discipline Data Bank maintained by the American Bar Association.

B. Public Notice of Discipline Imposed. Disciplinary counsel shall transmit notice of public discipline, transfers to or from interim suspension status and transfers to or from disability inactive status to be published in the legal journal and in a newspaper of general circulation in each area in which the lawyer actively practiced law.

C. Notice to the Courts. Disciplinary counsel shall promptly transmit a certified copy of the order of suspension, disbarment, reinstatement, transfer to or from interim suspension status and transfer to or from disability inactive status to all courts in this state. In addition, bar counsel may request the presiding judge of the superior court of the county in which a respondent, transferred to disability inactive status or otherwise unable to comply with the requirement of Rule 27, maintained a law practice to take such action under the provision of Rule 28 as may be indicated in order to protect the interests of the respondent and respondent’s clients.

D. Law Enforcement. Nothing in these rules shall be construed as prohibiting a member of the Professional Responsibility Program or an attorney participating in these proceedings from disclosing to appropriate law enforcement authorities evidence of a crime, even though that evidence may have arisen or been discovered in the course of the proceedings.

E. Publicly Available Decisions. In all cases decided by a hearing panel, the hearing panel shall prepare a record of decision which sets forth the factual, legal and discretionary basis of each decision. The decision shall not identify the parties or witnesses, unless the matter is one in which a disposition of reprimand, suspension or disbarment is imposed. Each decision shall be assigned a number and be available to the public. Where there has been a public disposition, the hearing panel’s findings, conclusions and recommendations, and those of the Court, will be assigned a number and will constitute the record of decision.