Innocence Information Disclosure Obligation Proposed

The District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct Review Committee is proposing changes in the D.C. ethics rules.

The notice seeking comments highlights a couple of major changes.

One would allow screening to cure imputed disqualification. The other:

Adopt a new Rule 8.6 to require lawyers in the District of Columbia who possess information that raises a substantial question about the innocence of a convicted person to disclose that information to a court, the convicted person’s counsel, and the convicted person, in the absence of other confidentiality obligations of the lawyer.

(Mike Frisch)