DC Bar Disciplinary Rules

(1) On petition of the Board authorized by its Chairperson or Vice Chairperson, supported by an affidavit showing that an attorney appears to pose a substantial threat of serious harm to the public or has failed to respond to an order of the Board in a matter where Disciplinary Counsel's investigation involves allegations of serious misconduct, the Court may issue an order, with such notice as the Court may prescribe, temporarily suspending the attorney or imposing temporary conditions of probation on the attorney, or both. "Serious misconduct" for this purpose means fraud, dishonesty, misappropriation, commingling, overdraft of trust accounts, criminal conduct other than criminal contempt, or instances of neglect that establish a pattern of misconduct in the pending investigation.

Any order of temporary suspension or probation which restricts the attorney's maintenance or use of a trust account shall, when served on any bank maintaining an account against which the attorney may make withdrawals, serve as an injunction barring the bank from making further payment from the account on any obligation except in accordance with restrictions imposed by the Court. An order of temporary suspension issued under this subsection shall preclude the attorney from accepting any new cases or other legal matters, but shall not preclude the attorney from continuing to represent existing clients during the thirty-day period after issuance of the order;however, any fees tendered to the attorney during that thirty-day period or at any time thereafter while the temporary suspension is in effect shall be deposited in a trust account, from which withdrawals may be made only as directed by the Court. The order of temporary suspension or probation for failure to respond to a Board order shall not disclose information about the substance of the complaint against the attorney.

(2) Where issues of fact appear to be presented by a petition of the Board under this section, or by any response of the attorney thereto, the Court may appoint a special master to preside at a hearing at which evidence will be presented concerning the petition. The master shall prepare a report summarizing the evidence presented and make recommended findings of fact which, together with the record, shall be filed with the Court within fifteen days of the Court's order of appointment.

(d) Dissolution or amendment of orders of temporary suspension or probation. An attorney temporarily suspended or placed on probation for failure to file a response to a Board order pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall be reinstated and the temporary suspension or probation dissolved when (1) Disciplinary Counsel notifies the Court that the attorney has responded to the Board's order or (2) the Court determines that an adequate response has been filed by the attorney.

An attorney temporarily suspended or placed on probation on the ground that the attorney appears to pose a substantial threat of serious harm to the public may, for good cause, request dissolution or amendment of the temporary order by petition filed with the Court, which shall also be served on the Board and on Disciplinary Counsel. A petition for dissolution shall be set for immediate hearing before the Board or a panel of at least three of its members designated by its Chairperson or, in the Chairperson's absence, by the Vice Chairperson. The Board or its designated panel shall hear the petition forthwith and submit its report and recommendation to the Court with the utmost speed consistent with fairness. Upon receipt of the report, the Court shall consider the petition promptly, with or without a hearing as the Court may elect, and shall enter an appropriate order.