Rule 17B-005. Civil injunction proceedings.

A. Petition for civil injunction. If chief disciplinary counsel or, when necessary, chief disciplinary counsel’s designee, determines that civil injunction proceedings should be instituted against a respondent, including when seeking approval of a consent agreement entered into under Rule 17B-004(E)(3) NMRA, chief disciplinary counsel or chief disciplinary counsel’s designee may commence such proceedings in the name of the Disciplinary Board by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. The petition shall be in writing and shall set forth the facts and charges in plain language and with sufficient particularity to inform the respondent of the acts that disciplinary counsel contends constitute the unauthorized practice of law. The petition shall specify the requested relief, which may include, without limitation, injunction, refund, restitution, a fine, assessment of costs of the proceeding, or the approval of a consent agreement. A deputy disciplinary counsel or assistant disciplinary counsel shall present a draft of the proposed petition to chief disciplinary counsel prior to filing the petition with the Court. Chief disciplinary counsel or, when necessary, chief disciplinary counsel’s designee, shall either approve the filing of the petition or recommend an alternate course of action consistent with these rules. B. Referral of petition to the Disciplinary Board. Upon receipt of a petition filed by disciplinary counsel in accordance with Paragraph A of this rule, the Court may issue a summons directed to the respondent along with an order referring the matter to the Disciplinary Board for further proceedings in accordance with Paragraphs D through K of this rule. Upon receipt of the summons and order, disciplinary counsel shall serve the summons and a copy of the petition upon the respondent in accordance with Rule 17B- 009(E) NMRA. C. Answer to the petition. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court in the summons and order referring the matter to the Disciplinary Board, the respondent shall file an answer to the petition with the Disciplinary Board within thirty (30) days after service of the summons and petition on the respondent. If the Court is notified at the time the petition is filed by disciplinary counsel that the respondent has entered into a consent agreement under Rule 17B-004(E)(3) NMRA, no answer need be filed by the respondent unless otherwise ordered by the Court. D. Appointment of a hearing officer. Upon referral of disciplinary counsel’s petition to the Disciplinary Board, the Disciplinary Board chair shall appoint a hearing officer to conduct further proceedings in accordance with this rule. Hearing officers shall be licensed to practice law in New Mexico and may include retired judges. E. Disposition without hearing. (1) Decision based on the petition. If the respondent fails to file an answer within the time permitted, disciplinary counsel may move the hearing officer to conclude that the respondent has admitted the facts set forth in the petition. If the hearing officer grants such a motion, the hearing officer shall proceed to decide the case based on the petition and shall report in writing to the Disciplinary Board chair the hearing officer’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended disposition of the case within thirty (30) days of granting the motion. (2) Decision based on the pleadings. If the respondent’s answer raises no genuine issue of material fact, any party may move the hearing officer to decide the case based on the pleadings. If the hearing officer grants such a motion, the hearing officer shall proceed to decide the case and shall report in writing to the Disciplinary Board chair the hearing officer’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended disposition of the case. (3) Consent agreement. (a) If the respondent has entered into a consent agreement under Rule 17B- 004(E)(3) NMRA, the consent agreement shall be submitted to the hearing officer for consideration along with the recommendations of disciplinary counsel. Within thirty (30) days of the agreement being tendered to the hearing officer, the hearing officer shall issue a decision either accepting or rejecting the agreement. (b) In considering the agreement and reaching a decision, the hearing officer shall take any and all steps that the hearing officer deems are reasonably necessary, including but not limited to admitting and considering stipulated exhibits, reviewing any written admissions or factual stipulations, reviewing memoranda or briefs submitted by the parties, or, in the hearing officer’s discretion, holding a hearing to question and otherwise take testimony from the respondent and, if necessary, other witnesses. (c) If the hearing officer accepts the agreement, the hearing officer shall proceed to report in writing to the Disciplinary Board chair the hearing officer’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended disposition of the case, and the Disciplinary Board shall proceed under Subparagraph (K)(4) of this rule. (d) If the hearing officer rejects the agreement, the hearing officer shall proceed to schedule and conduct an evidentiary hearing under Paragraphs F through I of this rule, and neither the agreement nor any of the factual stipulations made in connection with the agreement shall be used against the respondent or disciplinary counsel in any further proceedings. F. Evidentiary hearing. (1) Unless the hearing officer resolves the case without a hearing under Paragraph E of this rule, the hearing officer shall set a date, time, and place for an evidentiary hearing on the pending petition. (2) The evidentiary hearing shall take place in not less than forty-five (45) and not more than ninety (90) days from the date of service of the summons and petition on the respondent. The hearing officer may extend this deadline only upon a showing of good cause. (3) The evidentiary hearing shall be held in any county designated by the hearing officer. When designating a place for the hearing, the hearing officer should consider whether the location will be convenient for potential witnesses. (4) The notice of hearing shall advise the respondent that the respondent is entitled to be represented by counsel at the hearing, to cross-examine witnesses, and to present evidence on the respondent’s own behalf. Notice of hearing shall be served in accordance with Rule 1-005 NMRA of the Rules of Civil Procedure for the District Courts. G. Record of evidentiary hearing. (1) “Record,” as used in the Rules Concerning the Unauthorized Practice of Law, means the transcript of any evidentiary hearing and all pleadings, exhibits, and other documents filed with the Disciplinary Board during the course of the proceedings. (2) The hearing officer shall arrange for a certified court reporter to take a record of all evidence received during the course of the hearing. The Disciplinary Board shall pay the expense for the transcript of proceedings, provided that the Court may later assess the expense against the respondent under Rule 17B-006(B) NMRA. The respondent may request a copy of the transcript directly from the court reporter at the respondent’s own expense. H. Evidentiary hearing procedure. (1) Hearings shall be adversary in nature and shall be prosecuted by disciplinary counsel who shall bear the burden, by a preponderance of the evidence, of demonstrating that the respondent has engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. (2) All witnesses shall be sworn. (3) Disciplinary counsel shall present evidence in support of all allegations in the petition, followed by the respondent’s evidence. (4) The hearing officer shall preside and shall make rulings upon questions of admissibility of evidence and conduct of proceedings. (5) The hearing officer may ask questions of any witness, including the respondent, at any stage of the proceedings. (6) Hearings may be adjourned from time to time at the discretion of the hearing officer. (7) The complaining witness or witnesses, the respondent, and disciplinary counsel may be present throughout the hearing. Other witnesses may be excluded, except when testifying, at the discretion of the hearing officer. (8) A party may procure the attendance of a witness by requesting that the hearing officer issue a subpoena in the name of the Supreme Court. The Court may hold a person in contempt of court for failing or refusing, without adequate excuse, to comply with any such subpoena. (9) The New Mexico Rules of Civil Procedure for the District Courts and the New Mexico Rules of Evidence shall be applicable when not inconsistent with these rules, subject to the fact that the hearing officer may receive and consider any evidence that the hearing officer believes to be cogent and credible in the exercise of sound judicial discretion. (10) Within a reasonable time after the hearing, as ordered by the hearing officer, both parties shall have the right to submit proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a suggested disposition of the case. I. Notice of findings, conclusions, and recommended disposition. (1) Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the parties’ proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and suggested disposition of the case, the hearing officer shall submit to the Disciplinary Board chair the record of the hearing and a written report setting forth the hearing officer’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended final disposition of the case. (2) If the hearing officer concludes in the report that the respondent has engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, then the hearing officer may recommend that a fine be imposed for each incident of unauthorized practice of law. The minimum fine for each incident shall be not less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). J. Review by Disciplinary Board hearing review panel. (1) Upon receiving the record of the hearing and the hearing officer’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended disposition, the Disciplinary Board chair shall appoint one or more members of the Board to serve as a hearing review panel to review the matter. (2) The Disciplinary Board chair shall mail copies of the hearing officer’s report to the respondent, counsel for the respondent, chief disciplinary counsel, and prosecuting disciplinary counsel. (3) The Disciplinary Board chair shall notify the parties of the following: (a) the date that the hearing officer submitted the evidentiary hearing record and hearing officer’s report to the Disciplinary Board chair; (b) the names of the members of the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel who have been appointed to review the matter; (c) that the respondent may request a copy of the record of the proceedings directly from the court reporter at the respondent’s own expense; and (d) that the parties have ten (10) days from the date that the Disciplinary Board chair mails or emails notice of the appointment of the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel to request oral argument or permission to submit briefs to the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel. Requests for oral argument or permission to file briefs shall state with specificity the issues to be addressed in the proposed argument or brief and shall be deemed to be filed on the date that they are mailed. K. Decision by the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel. (1) For those matters involving an evidentiary hearing before a hearing officer, the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel shall consider only evidence in the record of the hearing committee, along with any briefs or oral argument that the Disciplinary Board permits the parties to submit. No additional evidence may be submitted to the hearing review panel. In reaching its decision, the hearing review panel will defer to the hearing officer’s factual findings, including matters of credibility, if the factual findings are supported by substantial evidence. The hearing review panel shall review de novo the hearing officer’s conclusions of law and recommended disposition. (2) For those matters involving an evidentiary hearing before a hearing officer, the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel shall render its decision within thirty (30) days following the submission of briefs or oral argument or the receipt of the hearing officer’s report, whichever date is later. Upon a showing of good cause, the Disciplinary Board chair may extend the time within which the decision must be rendered. (3) For those matters involving an evidentiary hearing before a hearing officer, the Disciplinary Board hearing review panel may accept, reject, or modify the recommendations of the hearing officer. Once the panel reaches its decision, the Disciplinary Board or the hearing review panel shall prepare a written report and recommendations that shall be signed by the Disciplinary Board chair, or, at the Disciplinary Board chair’s option, the chair of the hearing review panel. The Disciplinary Board chair or hearing review panel chair shall submit the report and recommendations, along with the entire record, to the Supreme Court clerk within thirty (30) days of the hearing review panel’s decision. A copy of the report and recommendations shall be served on the respondent at the time they are transmitted to the Supreme Court clerk. (4) For those matters involving a consent agreement entered into by a respondent under Rule 17B-004(E)(3) NMRA, the Disciplinary Board chair or, at the discretion of the Disciplinary Board chair, a hearing review panel, shall review the agreement, along with the record, and shall accept or reject the agreement within thirty (30) days of receipt of the hearing officer’s recommendations. (a) If the Disciplinary Board chair or the hearing review panel accepts the agreement, the Disciplinary Board chair or hearing review panel chair shall prepare a report and recommendations accepting the agreement, and shall submit the report and recommendations along with the record to the Supreme Court clerk within thirty (30) days of the Disciplinary Board’s or hearing panel’s decision. A copy of the report and recommendations shall be served on the respondent at the same time that they are submitted to the Supreme Court clerk. (b) If the Disciplinary Board or the hearing review panel rejects the agreement, the matter shall be remanded to the hearing officer to conduct an evidentiary hearing under Paragraphs F through I of this rule, and neither the agreement nor any of the factual stipulations made in connection with the agreement shall be used against the respondent or disciplinary counsel in any further proceedings.