Rule 251.16.Presiding Disciplinary Judge 
 (a)Presiding Disciplinary Judge. 
 The office of the 
 Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Colorado 
 is hereby established. The Supreme Court shall appoint a 
 Presiding Judge to serve at the pleasure of the Supreme Court. 
  
 (b)Qualifications. 
 The Presiding Disciplinary Judge 
 shall be an attorney, duly admitted to the Bar of Colorado, 
 with more than five years experience in the practice of 
 law. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge, while serving in that 
 capacity, may hold any other public office. 
  
 (c)Powers and Duties of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge. 
 The Presiding Disciplinary Judge shall be authorized 
 and empowered to act in accordance with these Rules and to: 
  
 (1)Maintain and supervise a permanent office in the 
 Denver metropolitan area to serve as the central office in 
 which disciplinary and disability proceedings shall be 
 conducted as provided in these Rules, under a budget approved 
 by the Supreme Court; 
  
 (2)Select counsel and appoint a staff as necessary to 
 assist the Presiding Disciplinary Judge in the administration 
 of the judge's office and in the performance of the judge's duties; 
  
 (3)Order the parties in disciplinary proceedings to 
 attend a settlement conference; 
  
 (4)Impose discipline on an attorney or transfer an 
 attorney to disability inactive status as provided in these Rules; 
  
 (5)Periodically report to the Advisory Committee and the 
 management committee on the operation of the office of the 
 Presiding Disciplinary Judge; 
  
 (6)Recommend to the Advisory Committee proposed changes 
 or additions to the rules of procedure for attorney discipline 
 and disability proceedings; and 
  
 (7)Adopt such practices as may from time to time become 
 necessary to govern the internal operation of the office of 
 the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, as approved by the Supreme Court. 
  
 (d)Abstention. 
 The Presiding Disciplinary Judge shall refrain from taking part in any proceedings in which 
 a judge, similarly situated, would be required to abstain. No partner or associate in the law 
 firm of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, or any attorney in any way affiliated with the 
 Presiding Disciplinary Judge or the Judge's law firm, may accept or continue in employment 
 connected with any matter pending before the committee, the Judge, or a Hearing Board as 
 long as the Judge is serving as the Presiding Disciplinary Judge. 
  
 (e)Disqualification. 
 Presiding Disciplinary Judges shall not represent an attorney in any matter 
 as provided in these Rules during their terms of service. Former presiding 
 disciplinary judges shall not represent an attorney in any 
 matter that was being investigated or prosecuted as provided 
 in these rules during their terms of service. 
  
 

                                                                
ANNOTATIONSSource: 
 Amended and adopted June 25, 1998, effective January 1, 1999; 
 (e) amended and adopted October 29, 1998, effective January 1, 1999; 
 entire rule amended and effective September 1, 2000; 
 (d) corrected June 11, 2001, effective September 12, 2000.