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RULE 19. Dissemination of Disciplinary Information
(a) Public Notice.
(1) The Board Clerk shall issue, electronically or otherwise, a news release to general media outlets throughout Maine to effect the notice of disciplinary disbarment, suspension, probation, or reinstatement decisions and orders.
(2) The Board Clerk shall publish hearing decisions and orders issued by the Court, the Single Justice, and the Grievance Commission on the Board's website.
(b) Notice to Discipline Authorities and Other Entities. The Board Clerk shall transmit, electronically or otherwise, notice of all public disciplinary and non-disciplinary sanctions, reinstatement decisions and orders, and surrenders of license to members of the Board and Grievance Commission, and to members of the following:
(1) all State, Federal, and Tribal Courts in Maine;
(2) the attorney disciplinary authority in any other jurisdiction known to the Board in which the attorney is licensed to practice;
(3) the Maine State Bar Association;
(4) the American Bar Association's National Lawyer Regulatory Data Bank; and
(5) other such organization as determined by the Board.
Reporter's Notes - June 2015
Rule 19(a) is based on Model Rule 17. Rule 19(a) is new and incorporates functions of the new Board Clerk. Although covered by Board Regulation #56, there was previously no Maine Bar Rule requiring the Board to provide a news release to general media outlets throughout Maine.
Rule 19(b) is based on Model Rule 17 but provides for certain notice functions to be performed by the Board Clerk instead of Bar Counsel. Current Maine procedure on this function was contained in former Maine Bar Rule 7.3(i)(1)(E) and (2)(D).
Advisory Note - July 2018
Rule 19(b) is amended to clarify that all public non-disciplinary sanctions, i.e. admonitions, are transmitted to discipline authorities and other entities. Such notice has been the longstanding practice of the Board.
