(a) Appointment
The Chief Hearing Officer shall appoint a Hearing Panel or an Extended Hearing Panel to conduct the disciplinary proceeding and issue a decision.
(b) Hearing Panel
The Hearing Panel shall be composed of a Hearing Officer and two Panelists, except as provided in paragraph (e) and in
Rule 9234 (a), (c), (d), or (e). The Hearing Officer shall serve as the chair of the Hearing Panel. Each Panelist shall be associated with a member of FINRA or retired therefrom.
(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2) below, the Chief Hearing Officer shall select as a Panelist a person who:
(A) previously served on a District Committee;
(B) currently serves or previously served on a Regional Committee;
(C) previously served on the National Adjudicatory Council;
(D) previously served on a disciplinary subcommittee of the National Adjudicatory Council or the National Business Conduct Committee, including a Subcommittee, an Extended Proceeding Committee, or their predecessor subcommittees;
(E) previously served as a Director or a Governor, but does not serve currently in any of these positions; or
(F) currently serves or previously served on a committee appointed or approved by the FINRA Board, but does not serve currently on the National Adjudicatory Council or as a Director or a Governor.
(2) If the complaint alleges at least one cause of action involving a violation of a statute or a rule described in
Rule 9120(u), the Chief Hearing Officer may select as a Panelist a person who currently serves on the Market Regulation Committee or who previously served on the Market Regulation Committee not earlier than four years before the date the complaint was served upon the Respondent who was the first served Respondent in the disciplinary proceeding for which the Hearing Panel or the Extended Hearing Panel is being appointed.
(c) Extended Hearing Panel
Upon consideration of the complexity of the issues involved, the probable length of the hearing, or other factors that the Chief Hearing Officer deems material, the Chief Hearing Officer may determine that a matter shall be designated an Extended Hearing, and that such matter shall be considered by an Extended Hearing Panel. The Extended Hearing Panel shall be composed of a Hearing Officer and two Panelists, except as provided in
Rule 9234(a), (c), (d), or (e). The Hearing Officer will serve as the chair of the Extended Hearing Panel. The Panelists shall be associated with a FINRA member, or retired therefrom.
(1) Except as provided in (2), the Chief Hearing Officer shall select as a Panelist a person who meets the criteria set forth in paragraph (b)(1).
(2) If the complaint alleges at least one cause of action involving a violation of a statute or a rule described in
Rule 9120(u), the Chief Hearing Officer may select as a Panelist a person who currently serves on the Market Regulation Committee or who previously served on the Market Regulation Committee not earlier than four years before the date the complaint was served upon the Respondent who was the first served Respondent in the disciplinary proceeding for which the Hearing Panel or the Extended Hearing Panel is being appointed.
(d) Observer
A person who is qualified to serve as a Panelist may be designated by the Chief Hearing Officer to serve as an observer to a Hearing Panel or an Extended Hearing Panel. If the Chief Hearing Officer designates more than two people to serve as observers to a Hearing Panel or an Extended Hearing Panel, the Chief Hearing Officer shall obtain the consent of the Parties. An observer may attend any hearing of a disciplinary proceeding and observe the proceeding, but may not vote or participate in any other manner in the hearing or the deliberations of the Hearing Panel or the Extended Hearing Panel, or participate in the administration of the disciplinary proceeding.
(e) Appointment of Replacement Hearing Officer
In the event that a Hearing Officer withdraws, is incapacitated, or otherwise is unable to continue service after being appointed, the Chief Hearing Officer shall appoint a replacement Hearing Officer. To ensure fairness to the parties and expedite completion of the proceeding when a replacement Hearing Officer is appointed after the hearing has commenced, the replacement Hearing Officer has discretion to exercise the following powers:
(1) Allow the Hearing Panelists to resolve the issues in the proceeding and issue a decision without the participation of the replacement Hearing Officer in the decision. The replacement Hearing Officer may advise the Hearing Panelists regarding legal issues, and shall exercise the powers of the Hearing Officer under
Rule 9235(a), including preparing and signing the decision on behalf of the Hearing Panel, in accordance with
Rule 9268; or
(2) Certify familiarity with the record and participate in the resolution of the issues in the case and in the issuance of the decision. In exercising this power, the replacement Hearing Officer may recall any witness before the Hearing Panel.
(f) Compensation of Panelists
FINRA shall compensate all Panelists of any Hearing Panel or Extended Hearing Panel pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Rule at the rate then in effect for arbitrators set forth in FINRA Rule 12214(a)(1), (3) and (4).
