Sec. 51-90f. Investigation and determination by grievance panel of attorney misconduct.
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(a)Each grievance panel shall investigate with the assistance of the grievance counsel assigned to such panel any complaint referred to it by the State-Wide Grievance Committee or State-Wide Bar Counsel to determine whether probable cause exists that the attorney is guilty of misconduct.
(b)The investigation and proceedings of the panel shall be confidential unless the attorney under investigation requests that such investigation and proceedings be public. The State-Wide Grievance Committee may disclose that it or the State-Wide Bar Counsel has referred a complaint to a panel for investigation when such disclosure is deemed by the committee to be in the public interest.
(c)The panel shall complete its investigation and render its determination that probable cause or no probable cause exists that the attorney is guilty of misconduct not later than ninety days from the date the complaint was referred to it by the committee or State-Wide Bar Counsel. The panel may file a motion for extension of time not to exceed thirty days with the State-Wide Grievance Committee which may grant the motion only for good cause shown. If the panel does not complete its action on a complaint within the time provided in this section, the State-Wide Grievance Committee shall, on motion of the complainant or the respondent or on its own motion, inquire into the delay and order that the panel take action on the complaint forthwith or that the complaint be referred to and heard by another panel or a reviewing subcommittee designated by the State-Wide Grievance Committee. Upon the completion of its investigation, the panel shall notify the complainant and the attorney that its investigation has been completed and the results thereof. The failure of a grievance panel to complete its action on a complaint within the period of time provided in this section shall not be cause for dismissal of the complaint. The panel shall not make a probable cause determination based, in full or in part, on a claim of misconduct not alleged in the complaint without first notifying the respondent that it is considering such action and affording the respondent the opportunity to be heard.
(d)The panel shall refer the record of its investigation, together with its determination that probable cause or no probable cause exists that the attorney is guilty of misconduct, to the committee for appropriate action and any such determination shall be a matter of public record.