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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 11-1088

THE COURTS

Title 204—JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS

PART V. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND CONDUCT

[ 204 PA. CODE CH. 83 ]

Amendment of Rule 209 of the Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement; No. 102 Disciplinary Rules Doc.

[41 Pa.B. 3526]
[Saturday, July 2, 2011]

Order

Per Curiam

 And Now, this 14th day of June, 2011, upon the recommendation of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; the proposal having been submitted without publication in the interests of justice pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. No. 103(a)(3):

 It Is Ordered pursuant to Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania that Rule 209 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement is amended in the following form.

 This Order shall be processed in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. No. 103(b), and shall be effective in 30 days.

Annex A

TITLE 204. JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS

PART V. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND CONDUCT

Subpart B. DISCIPLINARY ENFORCEMENT

CHAPTER 83. PENNSYLVANIA RULES OF DISCIPLINARY ENFORCEMENT

Subchapter B. MISCONDUCT

Rule 209. Immunity.

 (a) Complaints submitted to the Board or Disciplinary Counsel shall be confidential unless the matter results in the filing of formal charges. See Rule 402(a) (relating to access to disciplinary information and confidentiality). Members of the Board, members of hearing committees, special masters, Disciplinary Counsel and staff shall be immune from civil suit for any conduct in the course of their official duties. All communications to the Board, a hearing committee, special master, or Disciplinary Counsel relating to misconduct by a respondent-attorney and all testimony given in a proceeding conducted pursuant to these rules shall be absolutely privileged and the person making the communication or giving the testimony shall be immune from civil suit based upon such communication or testimony[, except that such immunity shall not extend to any action that violates Rule 402]. For purposes of this subdivision (a), the staff of the Board shall be deemed to include conservators and sobriety, financial or practice monitors appointed pursuant to these rules or the rules of the Board.

*  *  *  *  *

 Official Note: The provisions of subdivision (a) of the rule recognize that the submission and receipt of complaints against attorneys, and the investigation, hearing, decision and disposition of such complaints, are all parts of a judicial proceeding conducted pursuant to the inherent power of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The immunity from civil suit recognized to exist in subsection (a) is that which exists for all participants in judicial proceedings under Pennsylvania law, so long as their statements and actions are pertinent, material and during the regular course of a proceeding. [Communications made or revealed in violation of the confidentiality requirement of Rule 402 are not pertinent to the proceeding and, thus, do not entitle the person who publishes them to absolute immunity.]

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 11-1088. Filed for public inspection July 1, 2011, 9:00 a.m.]


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