Section 12 - Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness(A)(1)(a) The Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness shall be appointed by the Court and shall consist of twelve attorneys admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, one from each appellate district. (b) The term of office of each commissioner shall be three years. A commissioner shall be eligible for reappointment, but shall not serve more than three consecutive full terms. A commissioner shall be eligible for reappointment after serving three consecutive full terms, but only upon at least a one-year break in service. Appointments to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a full term. A commissioner serving on the Board on January 1, 2017, shall continue to serve on the Board until the expiration of the term of office to which the commissioner was appointed and, upon expiration of the term, may be reappointed for an additional three-year term if the commissioner has not served on the Board for more than six years. (c) Vacancies for any cause shall be filled by appointment by the Court for the unexpired term.(2) Any commissioner whose term has expired and who has an uncompleted assignment as a member of a panel may continue to serve for the purpose of the assignment until it is concluded before the Board. The secretary of the Board may replace the retiring panel member with any other commissioner, provided that an evidentiary hearing has not occurred. If the retiring commissioner continues to serve on the panel, the successor commissioner shall take no part in the proceedings of the Board concerning the uncompleted assignment.(3) Each year, the Court shall designate one commissioner as chair of the Board. The Director of Attorney Services, or the director's designee, shall serve as the secretary of the Board. The chair and the secretary may execute documents on behalf of the Board and the panels.(B) The Board shall do all of the following: (1) Meet annually and at other times as called by the secretary or the chair of the Board.(2) Supervise and direct the regional or local bar association admissions committees in the investigation of the character, fitness, and moral qualifications of applicants for admission to the practice of law. In furtherance of this duty, the Board may do any of the following:(a) Subject to the approval of the Court, establish rules of procedure;(b) Subject to the approval of the Court, promulgate standards of conduct for applicants;(c) Develop forms to be used by applicants and admissions committees, provided questions asked of and information requested from applicants shall be subject to review by the Court;(d) Require that standard background checks of all applicants be made;(e) At any time prior to an applicant's admission to the practice of law, investigate sua sponte the character, fitness, and moral qualifications of the applicant;(f) Appoint special investigators;(g) Refer any matter to a regional or local bar association admissions committee with directions for further investigation by that committee with a report to be made to the Board.(3) Hear all appeals by applicants from recommendations of regional or local bar association admissions committees.(4) Approve applicants who possess the requisite character, fitness, and moral qualifications for admission.(5) Submit recommendations to the Court as to the disapproval of applicants by the Board in accordance with Section 14 of this rule, or the approval of applicants who must be reviewed by the Court under Section 13(D)(5)(b) of this rule.(6) Investigate any matter brought to the attention of the Board after an applicant has been admitted to the practice of law and alleging that the applicant made a materially false statement in, or deliberately failed to disclose any material fact in connection with, the applicant's application for admission to the practice of law.Adopted April 4, 2020, effective 6/1/2020.