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§ 10.132 Initiating a disciplinary proceeding; reference to an administrative law judge. - PATENT RULES
§ 10.132 Initiating a disciplinary proceeding; reference to an administrative law judge.
(a) If after conducting an investigation under § 10.131(a) the Director is of the opinion that a practitioner has violated a Disciplinary Rule, the Director shall, after complying where necessary with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 558(c), call a meeting of the Committee on Discipline. The Committee on Discipline shall then determine as specified in § 10.4(b) whether a disciplinary proceeding shall be instituted under paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) If the Committee on Discipline determines that probable cause exists to believe that a practitioner has violated a Disciplinary Rule, the Director shall institute a disciplinary proceeding by filing a complaint under § 10.134. The complaint shall be filed in the Office of the Director. A disciplinary proceeding may result in:
(1) A reprimand, or
(2) Suspension or exclusion of a practitioner from practice before the Office.
(c) Upon the filing of a complaint under § 10.134, the Commissioner will refer the disciplinary proceeding to an administrative law judge.
[Added 50 FR 5181, Feb. 6, 1985, effective Mar. 8, 1985]
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