§ Rule 10-3.1 Generally

Codes > Florida Statutes > Rules Regulating > Chapter 10 : 10-3 Standing > Rule 10-3.1

Rule 10-3.1. Generally

    (a) Appointment and Terms. The standing committee shall be appointed by the court on advice of the board of governors of The Florida Bar and shall consist of 37 members, 18 of whom shall be nonlawyers. The board of governors is delegated the authority to appoint a chair and at least 1 vice-chair of the standing committee, both of whom may be nonlawyers. One-third of the members of the standing committee shall constitute a quorum. All appointments to the standing committee shall be for a term of 3 years. No member shall be appointed to more than 2 full consecutive terms. The members of the standing committee shall not be subject to removal by the court during their terms of office except for cause. Cause shall include unexcused failures to attend scheduled meetings, the number of which shall be set forth by the standing committee in an attendance policy.

    (b) Recusal. No member of the standing committee shall perform any standing committee function when that member:

        (1) is related by blood or marriage to the complainant or respondent;

        (2) has a financial, business, property, or personal interest in the matter under consideration or with the complainant or respondent;

        (3) has a personal interest that could be affected by the outcome of the proceedings or that could affect the outcome; or

        (4) is prejudiced or biased toward either the complainant or the respondent.

    Upon notice of any of the above prohibitions the affected members should recuse themselves from further proceedings. The standing committee chair shall have the power to disqualify any member from any proceeding in which any of the above prohibitions exists and is stated of record or in writing in the file by the chair.