If an agreement isreached, a written judgment will be sent to you, which must be signed and returned within 20 days from receipt of the judgment. If a negotiated result is not reached, or if you do not return the judgment timely, you will be notified by certified mail that the investigatory panel was unable to negotiate a sanction and the matter will proceed. This election must be submitted in writing no later than 15 days after receipt of the TRDP 2.13 written notification. If you have been representing yourself, reconsider getting appropriate counsel at this point. Failure to make a timely election results in your case being transferred to an evidentiary panel for further proceedings.
Specific rules govern both the evidentiary panel hearing and the de novo trial in district court.
Your choice should be made carefully based upon the nature of the Complaint and possible sanctions to be imposed. For a variety of reasons, one may be more advantageous than the other. If you proceed in an evidentiary panel proceeding, a private reprimand is no longer available. If you elect district court, an active judge will be appointed, and if misconduct is found, the judge will decide in a separate public hearing which sanction would be appropriate. TRDP3.02, and 3.10.