Rule 3. Structure; meetings; formal hearings.
1. A respondent may not participate as a member of the
commission in any proceeding involving a charge against respondent.
2. A member of the commission who cannot serve by reason of
disqualification, resignation, inability to attend or any other reason is to be
replaced by his or her alternate. In the event of such a replacement, an
alternate must act and vote in the place of the absent member. In proceedings
against a municipal judge or justice of the peace, within 20 days after service
of a formal statement of charges, the respondent may file a demand with the
commission's clerk, sending a copy to the chief justice, requesting that the
supreme court substitute as judicial members of the commission judges serving in
courts of limited jurisdiction outside the county in which the respondent
presides.
3. The commission may be convened by the chairman or on
request of three or more members. Meetings may be held on not less than three
days' notice, but this requirement may be waived by consent of all the members.
4. A quorum for the conduct of business other than the
hearing and decision of formal disciplinary proceedings is four members. The
action of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is
present is the action of the commission, except that no respondent may be
censured, temporarily suspended under rule 10, removed or retired from office or
punished for contempt, unless five or more members so concur.
5. Routine business of the commission requiring approval of
the members may be transacted by telephone or other informal poll of all members
appointed, the majority concurring, but if any member objects to such a poll,
the matter must be deferred until the next meeting.
6. Any member of the commission or sitting alternate member
may be disqualified upon challenge for cause by the respondent or by counsel
prosecuting a complaint or a formal statement of charges. A challenge must be
heard by the commission, and the commission may disqualify any commissioner who
by reason of actual or implied bias would, in the opinion of a majority of the
members present, either be prevented from adjudicating the matter in a fair and
impartial manner or, by reason of facts creating an appearance of impropriety,
be prevented from adjudicating the matter in a manner consistent with
maintenance of public confidence in the commission.
7. A challenge for implied bias must be allowed on a showing
of any of the grounds relating to jurors which are enumerated in NRS 16.050.
8. No later than 20 days prior to the commencement of a
hearing upon a formal statement of charges, counsel appointed to present
evidence in support thereof or counsel for the respondent may exercise a single
peremptory challenge to any of the commission members. The peremptory challenge
must be filed in writing with the clerk of the commission. A formal hearing may
proceed before a quorum of 5 members of the commission.
9. No member may vote by substitution or proxy.