Proposed Ethics Rules would help Right Wrongful Convictions

Patterson Harkavy attorney Brad Bannon, who is serving his third year as an advisory member on the North Carolina State Bar Ethics Committee, recently revived discussions in the Committee about proposed ethics rules that would require prosecutors to disclose information about possible wrongful convictions. First proposed eight years ago, the rule amendments stalled following opposition by state and federal prosecutors. Since then, 15 other states have passed similar rules, and revelations of wrongful convictions have increased significantly.

After a year of study that followed Brad's effort to revive the issue in January 2016, the rule amendments were unanimously approved by the State Bar Council in January 2017. They include new post-conviction disclosure duties for prosecutors and other lawyers and await approval by the North Carolina Supreme Court. Read more at NC Lawyers Weekly.