Rule 21 - Recusal of Commission members; ex parte communication (a) A judge who is a member of the Commission shall not participate in any proceedings involving the judge's own discipline, removal, or retirement. (b) No member of the Commission shall serve in the capacity as a member of both the investigatory panel and the adjudicatory panel in the same proceeding. (c) Members of the Commission shall recuse themselves in any matter in which recusal would be required of a judicial officer under the Wyoming Code of Judicial Conduct. Once a member of the Commission is recused from a proceeding for any reason, such member shall not subsequently be permitted to consider any aspect of such proceeding. (d) Unless otherwise provided in these Rules, members of the Commission shall not engage in ex parte communications regarding a case with the judge, judge's counsel, disciplinary counsel, or any witness, except as follows: (1) Before making a determination to file formal proceedings in a case, the investigatory panel may communicate with disciplinary counsel as may be required to perform its duties in accordance with these rules; (2) Disciplinary counsel may communicate with the members of the investigatory panel in the conduct of settlement negotiations; (3) Following the filing of formal charges, the staff, the Commission chair, a presiding officer of an adjudicatory panel may confer with disciplinary counsel and the judge's counsel or the judge, if pro se, for administrative purposes only; (4) Members of the Commission are permitted to engage in ex parte communications with persons seeking information from them only to the extent that such persons are provided with a means of contacting the Commission or obtaining a copy of these rules; (5) The Commission or its staff may inform complainants or other interested persons or entities of the dismissal of a case or the fact that appropriate action was taken by the Commission, as permitted by these rules. Adopted January 8, 2014, effective April 1, 2014.