CIT Amends Rules on Disciplinary Proceedings for Attorney Misconduct

The Court of International Trade this week announced that amendments to four court rules will become effective Nov. 8. The court said it approved the changes earlier this month.

The most substantive change came to Rule 74 on attorney admission to practice. A new provision to the court's section on disciplinary proceedings for misconduct says a misconduct allegation against a member of the CIT bar "may be filed by any member of the bar of this court, judge of this court, or member of the public." A complaint opened by a member of the bar or the public must take the form of a signed letter "identifying the subject attorney and describing the alleged misconduct in detail."

The new rule also says any action taken under this provision can be treated as confidential at the chief judge's discretion.

The court also said a member of the court's bar must tell the clerk in writing within 14 days after "the member's conviction of a serious crime," noting that failure to inform the clerk "will constitute misconduct." Rule 82 on the clerk's office hours and orders was amended to reflect the change in subheading titles.

The court also amended Rule 6, which covers computing and extending time to add Juneteenth as a legal holiday. Language in Rule 15, which covers amended and supplemental pleadings, was slightly altered. Originally, the rule said a party can amend its pleading once "within" 21 days of serving it or 21 days after service of a responsive pleading if such a response is required. The new rule changes "within" to "no later than."