Administrative Order 2020-7: In-Person Proceedings are Postponed Until Further Notice, Oral Argument

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT, effective immediately, the Board on Professional Responsibility is adjusting its operations to address concerns regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Board and its Hearing Committees shall not hold any in-person proceedings until further notice. However, having determined that the Board has the technical capability to conduct proceedings remotely, oral arguments before the Board and all hearings before Hearing Committees (whether in contested cases, negotiated discipline cases or reinstatement cases), will proceed as scheduled via videoconference. See Administrative Order 2020-06 (addressing proceedings by videoconference). Telephonic pre-hearing proceedings shall continue. Parties with oral arguments before the Board may file a joint motion requesting that the Board consider the matter on the briefs and the record, in lieu of oral argument.

The Office of the Executive Attorney (OEA) will be closed to the public during this period. As addressed in Administrative Order 2020-1,

in order to file any document with the Board on Professional Responsibility, or any Hearing Committee, the filing party shall convert the document to a PDF and email it to [email protected]. This includes all documents filed in pending cases, as well as Specifications of Charges, Petitions for Negotiated Discipline, Petitions for Reinstatement, and any other document filed with the Board or a Hearing Committee.

OEA staff will be working remotely during normal business hours, and may be contacted at 202-638-4290.

OEA staff will contact the parties involved in matters to be conducted by videoconference with information for participating in those matters remotely.

This Order does not extend any deadlines of matters pending before the Board or any of the Hearing Committees. Any party requiring an extension of a deadline must file a motion with the Board or Hearing Committee, as is appropriate. The Board and its Hearing Committees will continue to decide matters that have already been submitted. All Board or Hearing Committee reports and/or orders shall be served on the parties by email.

The Board will make additional adjustments as circumstances warrant.

Administrative Order 2020-7

* This order supersedes Administrative Order 2020-5