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DE · rules

Del. Supr. Ct. R. 33

Sanctions and discipline for performance deficiency

activein force · 2026-02-02 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Sanctions. —Upon failure of a party or counsel to comply with any rule or order, the Court may enter an appropriate sanction against

the offending party or counsel, or both, after notice and opportunity to be heard. Such sanction may include the award of reasonable

attorneys’ fees and the determination of an appeal against the offending party. Disciplinary action, including imposition of a fine, may

be taken against any offending counsel. The term “counsel” shall be deemed to include counsel admitted pro hac vice.

(b) Performance deficiency defined. —The Court may also take disciplinary action against an attorney admitted to practice before it and

those admitted pro hac vice for unprofessional conduct constituting performance deficiency, as hereafter defined, for which referral to

the Board on Professional Responsibility may or may not also be warranted.

Performance deficiency shall be generally understood to mean unacceptable performance by an attorney which is not attributed to

incompetency and which appears to be the result of inattention, neglect, lack of diligence or other conduct not becoming an officer of the

Court.

Discipline for performance deficiency may be imposed for: (i) Persistent failure to abide by or comply with the rules, orders or other

directives of the Court or its staff; (ii) submission of briefs, oral argument or other communications to the Court or its staff that are either

lacking in candor or grossly below customary professional standards.

(c) Disciplinary action for performance deficiency. —Disciplinary action for performance deficiency may include one or more of the

following sanctions against the offending attorney:

(i) Costs. —Imposition of costs, expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees;

(ii) Fine. —A fine in such amount as the Court determines;

(iii) Disqualification. —Disqualification from submitting papers and appearing before the Court for a period of up to 90 days;

(iv) Reprimand. —A private or public reprimand; or

(v) Other sanction. —Such other sanction as the Court deems appropriate including but not limited to referring the matter to the Office

of Disciplinary Counsel.

In the event the Court shall conclude that performance deficiency discipline may be appropriate, the Clerk shall forward to the lawyer-respondent a notice directing the lawyer-respondent to show cause why the lawyer-respondent should not be subjected to performance

deficiency discipline. The notice shall state with precision the particular performance relied upon and may include as an attachment a

recitation of the infractions of the rule, order or other directive, the brief or briefs or other communications in question and/or a transcript

of the oral argument in question. The notice shall direct the lawyer-respondent to respond within 10 days after receipt of the notice and

to indicate in such response whether a hearing is requested. The lawyer-respondent’s response shall attach a current and complete record

of all the lawyer-respondent’s prior disciplinary matters in Delaware or any other jurisdiction. The Court, upon the expiration of the time

for a response, shall take such action as it deems appropriate; provided, however, that no action shall be taken without a hearing if one is

requested in a response.

Provenance

Source
courts.delaware.gov
Retrieved
2026-09-23
Edition
2026-09-23
Content hash
99f404899d2dbf03aaf69eb6b57fa1102b148fdb92e5dc83506700837350f532
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