Rule 242.6 - Presiding Disciplinary Judge(a) Presiding Disciplinary Judge. The supreme court appoints one or more Presiding Disciplinary Judges to serve at the pleasure of the supreme court.(b) Qualifications. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge must be a lawyer admitted to practice law in Colorado with at least five years of experience in the practice of law. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge must not hold other public office while serving as Presiding Disciplinary Judge.(c) Powers and Duties of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge, under a budget approved by the supreme court, is authorized and empowered to act in accordance with this rule, including by: (1) Maintaining and supervising a permanent, central office;(2) Hiring and supervising a staff to carry out the duties of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge;(3) Presiding over disciplinary and other proceedings as provided in Chapters 18-20, including by ruling on legal and other issues consistent with the general authority conferred upon courts under the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, administering oaths and affirmations in proceedings, imposing disciplinary sanctions on lawyers as provided in this rule, and reinstating or readmitting lawyers to the practice of law;(4) Adopting practices needed to govern the internal operation of the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge;(5) Periodically reporting to the Advisory Committee on the operation of the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge;(6) Recommending to the Advisory Committee any proposed changes to the Rules Governing the Practice of Law;(7) Recommending to the Advisory Committee appointments to the pool of Hearing Board members;(8) Where issuance of a subpoena for use in another jurisdiction's disciplinary or disability proceeding has been approved in that jurisdiction, issuing a subpoena governed by C.R.C.P. 45 to compel the attendance of a witness or the production of documents in the Colorado county where the witness resides, or is employed, or elsewhere as agreed by the witness; and(9) Performing such other duties as the supreme court may direct.(d) Disqualification. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge must refrain from taking part in a proceeding in which a similarly situated judge would be required to disqualify. No lawyer currently affiliated by employment with the Presiding Disciplinary Judge may represent anyone in a proceeding under the Rules Governing the Practice of Law so long as the Presiding Disciplinary Judge is serving in that role. If the Presiding Disciplinary Judge has been disqualified, the clerk of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge will select a presiding officer from among the available Colorado lawyers in the Hearing Board pool. The presiding officer must act in accordance with this rule. When a presiding officer is selected to serve in a proceeding under this rule, the presiding officer is empowered in that proceeding to take all actions normally entrusted to the Presiding Disciplinary Judge.(e) Former Presiding Disciplinary Judges. A former presiding disciplinary judge or a former member of that judge's staff is subject to Colo. RPC 1.12. For purposes of this subsection, a "matter" includes substantially related proceedings.Adopted by the Court, En Banc, May 20, 2021, effective 7/1/2021.