Rule 4-221. Procedures

(a) Oaths. Before entering upon his duties as herein provided each member of the State Disciplinary Board and each special master shall subscribe to an oath to be administered by any person authorized to administer oaths under the laws of this State, such oath to be in writing and filed with the Executive Director of the State Bar of Georgia. The form of such oath shall be:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all of the duties incumbent upon me as a member of the State Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia/special master according to the best of my ability and understanding and agreeable to the laws and Constitution of this State and the Constitution of the United States so help me God."

(b) Witnesses and Evidence; Contempt.

(1) The respondent and the State Bar shall have the right to require the issuance of subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses to testify or to produce books and papers. The State Disciplinary Board or a special master shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and documents, relevant to the matter under investigation, by subpoena, and as further provided by law in civil cases under the laws of Georgia.

(2) The following shall subject a person to rule for contempt of the special master or Panel:

(i) disregard, in any manner whatever, of a subpoena issued pursuant to Rule 4-221(b) (1),

(ii) refusal to answer any pertinent or proper question of a special master or Board member, or

(iii) wilful or flagrant violation of a lawful directive of a special master or Board member.

It shall be the duty of the chairperson of the affected Panel or special master to report the fact to the Chief Judge of the superior court in and for the county in which said investigation, trial or hearing is being held. The superior court shall have jurisdiction of the matter and shall follow the procedures for contempt as are applicable in the case of a witness subpoenaed to appear and give evidence on the trial of a civil case before the superior court under the laws in Georgia.

(3) Any member of the State Disciplinary Board and any special master shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations and to issue any subpoena herein provided for.

(4) Depositions may be taken by the respondent or the State Bar in the same manner and under the same provisions as may be done in civil cases under the laws of Georgia, and such depositions may be used upon the trial or an investigation or hearing in the same manner as such depositions are admissible in evidence in civil cases under the laws of Georgia.

(5) All witnesses attending any hearing provided for under these rules shall be entitled to the same fees as now are allowed by law to witnesses attending trials in civil cases in the superior courts of this State under subpoena, and said fees shall be assessed against the parties to the proceedings under the rule of law applicable to civil suits in the superior courts of this State.

(6) Whenever the deposition of any person is to be taken in this State pursuant to the laws of another state, territory, province or commonwealth, or of the United States or of another country for use in attorney discipline, fitness or disability proceedings there, the chairperson of the Investigative Panel, or his or her designee upon petition, may issue a summons or subpoena as provided in this section to compel the attendance of witnesses and production of documents at such deposition.

(1) The hearings on all complaints and charges against resident respondents shall be held in the county of residence of the respondent unless he otherwise agrees.

(2) Where the respondent is a nonresident of the State of Georgia and the complaint arose in the State of Georgia, the hearing shall be held in the county where the complaint arose.

(3) When the respondent is a nonresident of the State of Georgia and the offense occurs outside the State, the hearing may be held in the county of the State Bar of Georgia headquarters.

(d) Confidentiality of Investigations and Proceedings.

(1) The State Bar shall maintain as confidential all disciplinary investigations and proceedings pending at the screening or investigative stage, unless otherwise provided by these rules.

(2) After a proceeding under these rules is filed with the Supreme Court, all evidentiary and motions hearings shall be open to the public and all reports rendered shall be public documents.

(3) Nothing in these rules shall prohibit the complainant, respondent or third party from disclosing information regarding a disciplinary proceeding, unless otherwise ordered by the Supreme Court or a Special Master in proceedings under these rules.

(4) The Office of the General Counsel of the State Bar or the Investigative Panel of the State Disciplinary Board may reveal or authorize disclosure of information which would otherwise be confidential under this rule under the following circumstances:

(i) In the event of a charge of wrongful conduct against any member of the State Disciplinary Board or any person who is otherwise connected with the disciplinary proceeding in any way, either Panel of the Board or its Chairperson or his or her designee, may authorize the use of information concerning disciplinary investigations or proceedings to aid in the defense against such charge.

(ii) In the event the Office of the General Counsel receives information that suggests criminal activity, such information may be revealed to the appropriate criminal prosecutor.

(iii) In the event of subsequent disciplinary proceedings against a lawyer, the Office of the General Counsel may, in aggravation of discipline in the pending disciplinary case, reveal the imposition of confidential discipline under Rules 4-205 to 4-208 and facts underlying the imposition of discipline.

(iv) A complainant or lawyer representing the complainant may be notified of the status or disposition of the complaint.

(v) When public statements that are false or misleading are made about any otherwise confidential disciplinary case, the Office of the General Counsel may disclose all information necessary to correct such false or misleading statements.

(5) The Office of General Counsel may reveal confidential information to the following persons if it appears that the information may assist them in the discharge of their duties:

(i) The Committee on the Arbitration of Attorney Fee Disputes or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(ii) The Trustees of the Clients' Security Fund or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(iii) The Judicial Nominating Commission or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(iv) The Lawyer Assistance Program or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(v) The Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(vi) The Judicial Qualifications Commission or the comparable body in other jurisdictions;

(vii) The Executive Committee with the specific approval of the following representatives of the Investigative Panel of the State Disciplinary Board: the chairperson, the vice-chairperson and a third representative designated by the chairperson;

(viii) The Formal Advisory Opinion Board;

(ix) The Consumer Assistance Program;

(x) The General Counsel Overview Committee; and

(xi) An office or committee charged with discipline appointed by the United States Circuit or District Court or the highest court of any state, District of Columbia, commonwealth or possession of the United States.

(6) Any information used by the Office of the General Counsel in a proceeding under Rule 4-108 or in a proceeding to obtain a Receiver to administer the files of a member of the State Bar, shall not be confidential under this rule.

(7) The Office of General Counsel may reveal confidential information when required by law or court order.

(8) The authority or discretion to reveal confidential information under this rule shall not constitute a waiver of any evidentiary, statutory or other privilege which may be asserted by the State Bar or the State Disciplinary Board under Bar Rules or applicable law.

(9) Nothing in this rule shall prohibit the Office of the General Counsel or the Investigative Panel from interviewing potential witnesses or placing the Notice of Investigation out for service by sheriff or other authorized person.

(10) Members of the Office of General Counsel and State Disciplinary Board may respond to specific inquiries concerning matters that have been made public by the complainant, respondent or third parties but are otherwise confidential under these rules by acknowledging the existence and status of the proceeding.

(11) The State Bar shall not disclose information concerning discipline imposed on a lawyer under prior Supreme Court Rules that was confidential when imposed, unless authorized to do so by said prior rules.

(e) Burden of Proof; Evidence.

(1) In all proceedings under this Chapter the burden of proof shall be on the State Bar of Georgia, except for proceedings under Bar Rule 4-106.

(2) In all proceedings under this chapter occurring after a finding of probable cause as described in Rule 4-204.4, the procedures and rules of evidence applicable in civil cases under the laws of Georgia shall apply, except that the quantum of proof required of the State Bar shall be clear and convincing evidence.

(f) Pleadings and Copies. Original pleadings shall be filed with the appropriate Panel of the State Disciplinary Board at the headquarters of the State Bar of Georgia and copies served upon the special master and all parties to the disciplinary proceeding. Depositions and other original discovery shall be retained by counsel and shall not be filed except as permitted under the Uniform Rules of Superior Court.

(g) Pleadings and Communications Privileged. Pleadings and oral and written statements of members of the State Disciplinary Board, members and designees of the Committee on Lawyer Impairment, special masters, Bar counsel and investigators, complainants,witnesses, and respondents and their counsel made to one another or filed in the record during any investigation, intervention, hearing or other disciplinary proceeding under this Part IV, and pertinent to the disciplinary proceeding, are made in performance of a legal and public duty, are absolutely privileged, and under no circumstances form the basis for a right of action.