Opinion ID: 2335436
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Respondent Waived Any Argumen he Board ks Personal Jurisdiction over His Conduct

Text: Procedural Rule 15(b) provides that [ejxcept as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Rules of Civil Procedure for the Superior Court of the State of Delaware shall apply to the extent practicable to disciplinary proceedings. Superior Court Rule 12(h) provides that a defense of lack of jurisdiction over the person ... is waived ... if it is neither made by motion under this rule nor included in a responsive pleading. As noted above, Procedural Rule 9(d)(2) requires an answer to a petition within 20 days after service of the petition, absent an extension. As Respondent failed to answer the petition or otherwise move within twenty days of its service, the Panel finds that Respondent has waived the defense of lack of personal jurisdiction. Moreover, for the reasons set forth in the Panel Chair's letter to the parties of September 19, 2007, the allegations and charges of the Petition are deemed admitted. See also In re Fountain, 913 A.2d 1180, 1181 (Del. 2006). The sole remaining issue to be addressed is the Panel's finding of the appropriate sanction based on the evidence submitted at the hearing of December 19, 2007 to which we now turn. [1]