Opinion ID: 1609069
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Encouraging Participants to Cooperate With Disciplinary Investigations

Text: The confidentiality rule is not narrowly tailored to secure the cooperation of witnesses in a disciplinary investigation. The rule simply suppresses more speech than is necessary to accomplish this goal. In particular, we fail to see how imposing mandatory confidentiality on the witnesses themselves will encourage the witnesses to cooperate. Indeed some witnesses might be deterred from cooperating with the ODC when confronted with a binding obligation to maintain confidentiality. If a witness desires anonymity, they may choose to remain silent on their own accord. Cf. Butterworth, 494 U.S. at 633, 110 S.Ct. at 1382 (finding the concern that some witnesses will be deterred from cooperating with a grand jury investigation due to fears of retribution is not addressed by prohibiting the witnesses from discussing their own testimony since any witness is free not to divulge his [or her] own testimony)(emphasis added). Furthermore, although we recognize that voluntary cooperation by witnesses is desirable, there are less speech-restrictive means to obtain the cooperation of witnesses. Accord R.M. v. Sup.Ct., 883 A.2d at 380. Our rules authorize the ODC to compel by subpoena the attendance and testimony of a reluctant witness. La. S.Ct. Rule XIX, § 14; Cf. Butterworth, 494 U.S. at 634, 110 S.Ct. at 1382 ([S]ubpoena and contempt powers [are] available to bring recalcitrant witnesses to the stand.). Moreover, under Rule 8.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, lawyer participants, in whatever role, ranging from respondents to witnesses, are obligated to fully cooperate with the ODC in its investigation of any matter under threat of discipline. Thus, there are tools that are currently available to the ODC which allow the disciplinary agency to obtain the cooperation of witnesses in a manner that is less restrictive of speech.