RULE 2.4. DISTRICT INQUIRY COMMITTEES.

A. Disciplinary Districts. The state is divided into disciplinary districts:

(1) Southeastern District. The Southeastern District includes the following counties: Barnes, Cass, Dickey, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, and Stutsman.

(2) Northeastern District. The Northeastern District includes the following counties: Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Rolette, Steele, Towner, Traill, Walsh, and Wells.

(3) Western District. The Western District includes the following counties: Adams, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burleigh, Burke, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Renville, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Ward, and Williams.

B. Appointment. The association president shall appoint a nine-member district inquiry committee, consisting of six lawyers and three public members, within each disciplinary district.

C. Terms of Office. All terms are for three years and a member of a district inquiry committee may not serve for more than two consecutive full three-year terms. Terms must be staggered so that no more than two lawyer members and one public member are appointed for full three-year terms in any one year. A member who has served two consecutive three-year terms may not be reappointed before the expiration of at least one year.

D. Chair. At the first meeting of each district inquiry committee in each calendar year, the members of the committee shall elect a chair who shall preside at all meetings, perform the usual duties of a chair, and be responsible for preparation of a report of the meeting to file with the board. A vice-chair shall be similarly elected to act in the absence of the chair.

E. Abstention. A committee member shall refrain from taking part in any 35 proceedings in which a judge, similarly situated, would be required to disqualify.

F. Powers and Duties. Each district inquiry committee shall:

(1) Review investigative reports and recommendations;

(2) Act on each complaint:

(a) by dismissal in accordance with Rule 3.1C,

(b) by approval of diversion from discipline,

(c) by issuance of an admonition or consent probation or both,

(d) by directing participation in a lawyer assistance program in conjunction with an admonition or consent probation, or

(e) by directing counsel to file a petition with the board initiating formal disciplinary or disability proceedings;

(3) Dismiss a complaint after a lawyer's completion of all conditions of diversion from discipline; and

(4) Discontinue diversion from discipline if a lawyer does not complete all conditions of that diversion.

G. Compensation. All expenses of the district inquiry committees incurred in connection with the enforcement of these rules must be paid from association funds.

[Adopted effective January 1, 1995; amended on an emergency basis effective may 28, 1997 (See Order in Sup.Ct. No. 970152); amended on an emergency basis effective July 16, 1998; Adopted on a final basis effective September 8, 1998.]

[Amended effective March 1, 2017. Amended effective August 1, 2004. Amended effective July 1, 1999. Adopted effective January 1, 1995.]