### iK 'l'iif 

### %IATTI)R01: KL:VISl"iG 'I'Iiil 

### RIJl,I',S FORL.AWYI:R DISCli'i,iWAI<Y I:NI:C)RCI:hil:NI'

On September I 

### I, 2006, Shaun 

### I<. Thompson, I>isciplinary Counsel, Office of Disciplinary Counsel (OK)petitioned this Court to adopt changes to the Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement (2002) (liI.1)11 (2002)). 

### Mr. 71'hon~pson statesthe Rule 5B(15). IUI3L: 

### (2002) requires 1)isciplinary Counsel to "[plrepare an annual budget ibr the [ODC]and submit it so [this Court] fbrappro\:al."' Mr. 7hompson correctlq obsenresthat this Court 1\21no longer be appro~ing the budget of the ODC. Iiather. 

### in the summer of 2006, ODC and the State Bar of Montana (Bar) entered into a hlenorandtim of tjndcrslanding regarding their respccti~e obligations L\ ith respcLtto theprcpara~ion, approla1and submission ofODC's budget. I'he proposed damcndinenls to Kill; 5B(15) are ncccssarj ta corrform the Ruie to the neu budgetary procedure. On Oclobcr 26, 2006 the 13oard of lrustces of the State Bar of Montana (Board) filed its response and cornmcilts to Mr. Thompson's Pctition and is in suppori of the

same. Therefore. ITIS ORL?LR1:I) that Ruie 5. RI,I>1; (2002) is amendcd to rcad as follo\%l.': RULE 

### 5-OFFICE OFUISC4f

### LIhARYCOUNSEL

it. Appointnrent. The Court shall appoint a lawyer !o serve as Chief Disciplinary Counsel and may appoint such Deputy iiiscipiinary Counsels as they deem necessary. Disciplinary Counsel shall not engage in private practice; shall be admitted to practice in Montana at the time of appointment or within a reasonab!e time thereafier as 

### determined by the Court; and shall maintain offices iri Helena. Montana. 

### in facilities designated by the Court,

I ?'he Courttsuu.spon/e, noted scvcral clcrical errors inthe Rule at subparagraphs(51, (i9),and C. andcorrecredthose herein, as \veil. 1B, Powers and Duties. cipi Counsel <hail perform ail prilsecutoriai iiinciions and shallhave the foi!o;uing pouers and duties: (Ij Supcriise Oficc of Biscip!inary Counsel (Office) stcifl' 

### in performing central intake iirneiions: 

### (2) Evaluaie all informalion coming to the ntte:ltion (ji' Ihc Ofiliice io determinewlierher it is viithin thc discip!inaryjurisdiction ofthcCoi:rt: (3

j int.csti~v'~tc ail infor~natiori corning 

### tothe at:cniion 

### OFtlic Office which, if' true, would be grounds to ciiscipiine or trarisikr to tii:;abilitj!'iriactii.c status: (3) Imestigate all facts pertaining lo petitions foi reiilstareinent or reatllnission; 

### (5)Dismiss the i:sformatio:l iftrue, would not constitute misconduct
or incapacity; orreconlmcnd discipline; 

### (6) Prosecute before fieview Panels, Adjudicatory Panels and the Court, discipline. interim suspension, reinstatement and readmission proceedings, andproceedings for transfer to or fromdisabi1ity:inactive status; 

### (7) Employ and supervise Office staff needed for the performance of prosecutctria! fiinctions and. when circumstailces necessitate their use, appoint aiid supervise special investigators and volunteer special counsel; 

### (8)Notify promptly the conlplainant and the laxvyerthat an investigation is to be initiated by 1)iseipIinary Counsel or, where Disciplinary Courisel dismisses, provide a co:lcise written statement of the facts and reasons a matter has been disn~issed; 

### (9) I3eve!op written guidelines for determining which matters hi! to allege fktsthat would constiiute grounds for disciplinary action; 

### (!O) Request the Clerk of the Supreme Gourk to notify eachjurisdiction in which a lawyer is adlilittcd of a transfer to or from disabilits./inaciiw status, reinstatement; readmissicm or anypublic discipline imposed in this state; (11) Whenever costs have been assessecl against a lawyer 

### by the Supreme Court, asscn~ble and serve on the la~vyer an itemized list of the costs of proceedings, investigations and audits; (12) Seek reciprocal discipline when informed of airy public dist:ipiine imposed in any otherjurisdiction; (13) Fortyard a certified copy of the judgrncci. of conviction to the disciplinary office in eachjurisc!iction in which a lawyer is admitted when the lawyer is convicted of 2% serious crii~le (as hereinafier defined) i:~ this state; (14) Maintain per~nanent records of discipline and disabiiity matters and compile statisticstit aid in the administration ofthe system; (15) Prepare an annual budget 

### hr the Office and submit it to rhc Gew&w +Board ofTr~~stees ofthe State Bar of Montana [or review; (16)Make reasonahle and necessary expenditares pursna~~t to the a~~vwi! reviewed budget toperfbr~n thc dutiesoftheOffice; (17) Superviseand direct Offkcstaff and operations:!lXI Prepare and submit to the Court recommendaiicns concerning the annual assessment ofi3iir Members: and (19) Make recommendations to the Cotid about tile lav\-);er regu!at.tion 

# - svsvem, 

### C. Prohibited Activities, iliscipiinary S.o~mse1 shall nor have authority lo



### . . relider advisory opinions: either orally or 

### in .t-rit~ngt, or to irnpose any form ofdisciplinr:on a la!\-:;cr.

Strickenlangaage is deleted and underlined language 1s added. IT 

### ISFliRTIIER 

### ORDEREDthat this Order is cffccii-~e as oftliedatehcrcoi' 

### I1 IS 

### 1;UK'I TIER 

### OR1)BIUII) that the Clerk of this Court gix. e notice ofthis Order

to Shaun R. Tli:>mpson, Discipiinarq Counsel: to Cqnthia Sm~th, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of Montana: to Chris Ivlanos. Executi\e Director of the State Bar ofMontana with rhe request that this Orderbe publislzed in the next a\ai!able issue of the ,\fonturza 

### Law?eu and be posted to the Statr: Bar of Montana's ~~ebsite: and to Gregory J. Petesch, Code Commissioner. 

### kh Dated this

# -3- __dayofNovenlber 7006