Section 1 - Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court(A) Composition. There shall be a Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court consisting of twenty-eight commissioners as follows: seventeen attorneys admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, seven active or voluntarily retired judges of the state of Ohio or judges retired pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 of the Ohio Constitution, and four nonattorney commissioners.(B) Distribution. The attorney commissioners shall be appointed from Ohio appellate districts as follows: First District, two commissioners; Second District, one commissioner; Third District, one commissioner; Fourth District, one commissioner; Fifth District, one commissioner; Sixth District, two commissioners; Seventh District, one commissioner; Eighth District, three commissioners; Ninth District, one commissioner; Tenth District, two commissioners; Eleventh District, one commissioner; and Twelfth District, one commissioner. The active and retired judge commissioners shall be appointed at-large from separate appellate districts, and the nonattorney commissioners shall be appointed at-large from separate appellate districts.(C) Term of Office. The term of office of each commissioner of the Board shall be three years, beginning on the first day of January next following the commissioner's appointment. Any commissioner whose term has expired and who has an uncompleted assignment as a member of a panel may continue to serve for the purpose of the assignment until it is concluded before the Board. The successor commissioner shall take no part in the proceedings of the Board concerning the assignment.(D) Appointments. The Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court each shall appoint commissioners. Appointments to terms commencing the first day of January of any year shall be made prior to the first day of December of the preceding year. Vacancies for any cause shall be filled for the unexpired term by the justice who appointed the person causing the vacancy or by the successor of that justice. A commissioner appointed to a term of fewer than three years may be reappointed to not more than three, three-year terms. No person may be appointed to more than three, three-year terms on the Board. Three-year terms served prior to April 1, 2008 shall be included when determining whether a person is eligible for appointment or reappointment to the Board.(E) Chair and Vice-chair. The Board shall each year elect a judge or attorney commissioner as chair and vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair shall serve in that capacity for a maximum of two years. The chair and vice-chair may execute entries on behalf of the Board and panels of the Board. In the absence or incapacity of the chair, the vice-chair shall perform the duties of the chair.(F) Meetings. The Board shall meet in Columbus at least six times each year. The chair or vice-chair may call additional meetings of the Board when necessary.(G) Campaign Contributions. Commissioners and employees of the Board, disciplinary counsel, or employees of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel shall not make any contribution to, or for the benefit of, or take part in the campaign of, or campaign for or against, any judicial candidate in this state. A commissioner who is a candidate for election or reelection to a judicial office may contribute to, may make a contribution for the benefit of, or take part in his or her own campaign.(H) Confidentiality; Oath of Office. No commissioner, Board-appointed master, or employee of the Board shall disclose to any person any proceedings, documents, or deliberations of the Board or a Board committee. This rule shall not apply to an individual commissioner's personal opinion relating to matters of staffing or operational issues, which, at the commissioner's option, may be discussed with a justice upon the justice's request. Prior to taking office, each commissioner, Board-appointed master, and employee of the Board shall swear or affirm that he or she will abide by these rules.(I)Attendance. The director of the Board shall notify the Chief Justice and the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court if a commissioner misses three meetings of the Board within a twelve-month period. Upon such notice, the Administrative Director shall inform the Justices of the Supreme Court in order that the Justices may consider the replacement of the commissioner.Amended October 15, 2024, effective 10/15/2024.