Rule 9.115 - Hearing Panel Procedure(A) Rules Applicable. Except as otherwise provided in these rules, the rules governing practice and procedure in a nonjury civil action apply to a proceeding before a hearing panel. Pleadings must conform as nearly as practicable to the requirements of subchapter 2.100. The original of the formal complaint and all other pleadings must be filed with the board. The formal complaint must be served on the respondent. All other pleadings must be served on the opposing party and each member of the hearing panel. Proof of service of the formal complaint may be filed at any time prior to the date of the hearing. Proof of service of all other pleadings must be filed with the original pleadings.(B) Complaint. Except as provided by MCR 9.120, a complaint setting forth the facts of the alleged misconduct begins proceedings before a hearing panel. The administrator shall prepare the complaint, file it with the board, and serve it on the respondent and a respondent's employer. The unwillingness of a complainant to proceed, or a settlement between the complainant and the respondent, does not itself affect the right of the administrator to proceed.(C) Service. Service of the complaint and a default must be made by personal service or by registered or certified mail addressed to the person at the person's last known address. An attorney's last known address is the address on file with the state bar as required by Rule 2 of the Supreme Court Rules Concerning the State Bar of Michigan. A respondent's attorney of record must also be served, but service may be made under MCR 2.107. Service is effective at the time of mailing, and nondelivery does not affect the validity of the service.(D) Answer. (1) A respondent must serve and file a signed answer or take other action permitted by law or these rules within 21 days after being served with the complaint in the manner provided in MCR 9.115(C). A signature constitutes verification that the respondent has read the answer or other response.(2) A default, with the same effect as a default in a civil action, may enter against a respondent who fails within the time permitted to file an answer admitting, denying, or explaining the complaint, or asserting the grounds for failing to do so.(E) Representation by Attorney. The respondent may be represented by an attorney, who must enter an appearance, which has the same effect as an appearance under MCR 2.117.(F) Prehearing Procedure. (1) Extensions. If good cause is shown, the hearing panel chairperson may grant one extension of time per party for filing pleadings and may grant one adjournment per party. Additional requests may be granted by the board chairperson if good cause is shown. Pending criminal or civil litigation of substantial similarity to the allegations of the complaint is not necessarily grounds for an adjournment.(2) Motion to Disqualify. (a) Within 14 days after an answer has been filed or the time for filing the answer has expired, each member of the hearing panel shall disclose in a writing filed with the board any information that the member believes could be grounds for disqualification under the guidelines of MCR 2.003(C), including pending requests for investigation filed against the member. The duty to disclose shall be a continuing one. The board shall serve a copy of the disclosure on each party and each panel member.(b) A motion to disqualify must be filed within 14 days after the moving party discovers the ground for disqualification. If the discovery is made within 14 days of the hearing date, the motion must be made forthwith. If a motion is not timely filed, untimeliness is a factor in deciding whether the motion should be granted. All known grounds for disqualification must be included at the time the motion is filed. An affidavit must accompany the motion. The board chairperson shall decide the motion under the guidelines of MCR 2.003.(c) The board must assign a substitute for a disqualified member of a hearing panel. If all are disqualified, the board must reassign the complaint to another panel.(3) Amendment of Pleadings. The administrator and the respondent each may amend a pleading once as a matter of course within 14 days after being served with a responsive pleading by the opposing party, or within 15 days after serving the pleading if it does not require a responsive pleading. Otherwise, a party may amend a pleading only by leave granted by the hearing panel chairperson or with the written consent of the adverse party.(4) Discovery. Pretrial or discovery proceedings are not permitted, except as follows: (a) Within 21 days after the service of a formal complaint, a party may demand in writing that documentary evidence that is to be introduced at the hearing by the opposing party be made available for inspection or copying. Within 14 days after service of a written demand, the documents shall be made available, provided that the administrator need not comply prior to the filing of the respondent's answer; in such case, the administrator shall comply with the written demand within 14 days after the filing of the respondent's answer. The respondent shall comply with the written demand within 14 days, except that the respondent need not comply until the time for filing an answer to the formal complaint has expired. Any other documentary evidence to be introduced at the hearing by either party shall be supplied to the other party no later than 14 days prior to the hearing. Any documentary evidence not so supplied shall be excluded from the hearing except for good cause shown.(i) Within 21 days after the service of a formal complaint, a party may demand in writing that the opposing party supply written notification of the name and address of any person to be called as a witness at the hearing. Within 14 days after the service of a written demand, the notification shall be supplied. However, the administrator need not comply prior to the filing of the respondent's answer to the formal complaint; in such cases, the administrator shall comply with the written demand within 14 days of the filing of the respondent's answer to the formal complaint. The respondent shall comply with the written demand within 14 days, except that the respondent need not comply until the time for filing an answer to the formal complaint has expired. Except for good cause shown, a party who is required to give said notification must give supplemental notice to the adverse party within 7 days after any additional witness has been identified, and must give the supplemental notice immediately if the additional witness is identified less than 14 days before a scheduled hearing.(ii) Within 21 days following the filing of an answer, the administrator and respondent shall exchange the names and addresses of all persons having knowledge of relevant facts and comply with reasonable requests for (1) nonprivileged information and evidence relevant to the charges against the respondent, and (2) other material upon good cause shown to the chair of the hearing panel. (b) A deposition may be taken of a witness who lives outside the state or is physically unable to attend the hearing. For good cause shown, the hearing panel may allow the parties to depose other witnesses.(c) The hearing panel may order a prehearing conference held before a panel member to obtain admissions or otherwise narrow the issues presented by the pleadings. If a party fails to comply with subrule (F)(4) (a), the hearing panel or the board may, on motion and showing of material prejudice as a result of the failure, impose one or more of the sanctions set forth in MCR 2.313(B)(2)(a)-(c).
(5) Discipline by Consent. (a) In exchange for a stated form of discipline and on the condition that the plea or admission is accepted by the commission and the hearing panel, a respondent may offer to (i) plead no contest to or admit all or some of the facts and misconduct alleged in the complaint or otherwise agreed to by the parties or(ii) stipulate to facts and misconduct in a proceeding filed under subchapter 9.100 not initiated by a formal complaint. The respondent's offer shall first be submitted to the commission. If an agreement is reached with the commission, the administrator and the respondent shall file with the board and the hearing panel a stipulation for a consent order of discipline. At the time of the filing, the administrator shall serve a copy of the stipulation upon the complainant.
(b) The stipulation shall include:(i) admissions, which may be contained in an answer to the complaint, or a plea of no contest to facts sufficient to enable the hearing panel to determine the nature of the misconduct and conclude that the discipline proposed is appropriate in light of the identified misconduct;(ii) citation to the applicable American Bar Association Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions; and(iii) disclosure of prior discipline.Admonishments and contractual probations shall be filed separately and kept confidential until the hearing panel accepts the stipulation under this rule.
(c) Upon filing of a stipulation for a consent order of discipline, the hearing panel may: (i) approve the stipulation and file a report and enter a final order of discipline; or(ii) communicate with the administrator and the respondent about any concerns it may have regarding the stipulation. Before rejecting a stipulation, a hearing panel shall advise the parties that it is considering rejecting a stipulation and the basis for the rejection. The hearing panel shall provide an opportunity, at a status conference or comparable proceeding, for the parties to offer additional information in support of the stipulation.(d) If a hearing panel rejects a stipulation, the hearing panel shall advise the parties in writing of its reason or reasons for rejecting the stipulation and allow the parties an opportunity to submit an amended stipulation.(e) If a hearing panel rejects an amended stipulation, or if no amended stipulation is filed within 21 days after rejection of the initial stipulation, the matter shall be reassigned to a different hearing panel. Upon reassignment to a different hearing panel,(i) the stipulation and any amended stipulation shall be deemed withdrawn,(ii) statements and stipulations made in connection with the stipulation and any amended stipulation shall be inadmissible in disciplinary proceedings against the respondent and not binding on either party, and(iii) the newly assigned hearing panel shall conduct a hearing.(G) Hearing Time and Place; Notice. The board or the chairperson of the hearing panel shall set the time and place for a hearing. Notice of a hearing must be served by the board or the chairperson of the hearing panel on the administrator, the respondent, the complainant, and any attorney of record at least 21 days before the initial hearing. Unless the board or the chairperson of the hearing panel otherwise directs, the hearing must be in the county in which the respondent has or last had an office or residence. If the hearing panel fails to convene or complete its hearing within a reasonable time, the board may reassign the complaint to another panel or to a master. A party may file a motion for a change of venue. The motion must be filed with the board and shall be decided by the board chairperson, in part, on the basis of the guidelines in MCR 2.221. Notwithstanding MRE 615, there shall be a presumption that a complainant is entitled to be present during a hearing, which may only be overcome upon a finding by the panel, supported by facts that are particular to the proceeding, that testimony by the complainant is likely to be materially affected by exposure to other testimony at the hearing.(H) Respondent's Appearance. The respondent shall personally appear at the hearing, unless excused by the panel, and is subject to cross-examination as an opposite party under MCL 600.2161. (1) Where satisfactory proofs are entered into the record that a respondent possessed actual notice of the proceedings, but who still failed to appear, a panel shall suspend him or her effective 7 days from the date of entry of the order and until further order of the panel or the board.(2) If the respondent, or the respondent's attorney on his or her behalf, claims physical or mental incapacity as a reason for the respondent's failure to appear before a hearing panel or the board, the panel or the board on its own initiative may, effective immediately, suspend the respondent from the practice of law until further order of the panel or board. The order of suspension must be filed and served as other orders of discipline.(I) Hearing; Contempt. (1) A hearing panel may issue subpoenas (including subpoenas for production of documents and other tangible things), cause testimony to be taken under oath, and rule on the admissibility of evidence under the Michigan Rules of Evidence. The oath or affirmation may be administered by a panel member. A subpoena must be issued in the name and under the seal of the board. It must be signed by a panel or board member, by the administrator, or by the respondent or the respondent's attorney. A subpoenaed witness must be paid the same fee and mileage as a witness subpoenaed to testify in the circuit court. Parties must notify their own witnesses of the date, time, and place of the hearing.(2) A person who without just cause fails or refuses to appear and give evidence as commanded by a subpoena, to be sworn or affirmed, or to answer a proper question after he or she has been ordered to do so, is in contempt. The administrator may initiate a contempt proceeding under MCR 3.606 in the circuit court for the county where the act or refusal to act occurred.(3) Upon a showing of good cause by a party, a panel may permit a witness to testify by telephonic, voice, or video conferencing.(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this rule, a subpoena issued under this rule may require a party or witness to appear by telephone or by videoconferencing technology. Telephonic proceedings are subject to the provisions of MCR 2.402, and videoconference proceedings are subject to the provisions of MCR 2.407.(J) Decision. (1) The hearing panel must file a report on its decisions regarding the misconduct charges and, if applicable, the resulting discipline. The report must include a certified transcript, a summary of the evidence, pleadings, exhibits and briefs, and findings of fact. The discipline section of the report must also include a summary of all previous misconduct for which the respondent was disciplined, admonished, or placed on contractual probation.(2) Upon a finding of misconduct, the hearing panel shall conduct a separate sanction hearing to determine the appropriate discipline. The sanction hearing shall be conducted as soon after the finding of misconduct as is practicable and may be held immediately following the panel's ruling that misconduct has been established.(3) If the hearing panel finds that the charge of misconduct is established by a preponderance of the evidence, it must enter an order of discipline. The order shall take effect 21 days after it is served on the respondent unless the panel finds good cause for the order to take effect on a different date, in which event the panel's decision must explain the reasons for ordering a different effective date. The discipline ordered may be concurrent or consecutive to other discipline. In determining the discipline to be imposed, any and all relevant evidence of aggravation or mitigation shall be admissible, including, but not limited to, records of the board, previous admonitions and orders of discipline, and the previous placement of the respondent on contractual probation.(4) If the hearing panel finds that the charge of misconduct is not established by a preponderance of the evidence, it must enter an order dismissing the complaint.(5) The report and order must be signed by the panel chairperson and filed with the board and the administrator. A copy must be served on the parties as required by these rules.(K) Stay of Discipline. If a discipline order is a suspension of 179 days or less, a stay of the discipline order will automatically issue on the timely filing by the respondent of a petition for review and a petition for a stay of the discipline. If the discipline ordered is more severe than a suspension of 179 days, the respondent may petition the board for a stay pending review of the discipline order. Once granted, a stay remains effective until the further order of the board.(L) Enforcement. The administrator shall take the necessary steps to enforce a discipline order after it is effective.(M) Resignation by Respondent; Admission of Charges. An attorney's resignation may not be accepted while a request for investigation or a complaint is pending, except pursuant to an order of disbarment.Last amended effective 1/25/2017; amended July 26, 2021, effective 7/26/2021.