Duties of Committees

Committees shall act through panels, as assigned by the Committee chairs, to conduct investigatory hearings, summary disposition dockets and evidentiary hearings. No panel may consist of more than one-half of all members of the Committee or fewer than three members. If a member of a panel is disqualified, recused or otherwise unable to serve, the chair shall appoint a replacement. Panels must be composed of two attorney members for each public member. A quorum must include at least one public member for every two attorney members present and consists of a majority of the membership of the panel, and business shall be conducted upon majority vote of those members present, a quorum being had. In matters in which evidence is taken, no member may vote unless that member has heard or reviewed all the evidence. It shall be conclusively presumed, however, not subject to discovery or challenge in any subsequent proceeding, that every member casting a vote has heard or reviewed all the evidence. No member, attorney or public, may be appointed by the chair to an Evidentiary Panel pertaining to the same disciplinary matter that the member considered at either an investigatory hearing or summary disposition docket. Any tie vote is a vote in favor of the position of the Respondent.